Not only political leaders but people from all walks of life along with the lakhs of devotees congregated in Puri on Tuesday not only to bid adieu to 2024 but to welcome the new year with a darshan of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.

Anticipating a gathering of more than four lakh people, Puri police have made special arrangements to ensure safety and convenience during the celebrations.

Superintendent of Police, Puri, Vinit Agrawal told The Telegraph, “To ensure smooth darshan of Lord Jagannath, special barricades have been set up from Market Chhaka to the temple, about 300 metres. The temple has been divided into five security zones inside and four zones outside for effective crowd management.”

The temple doors will be thrown open for the devotees around midnight. Besides the temple, there will be heavy flow of tourists to the sea beach.

The SP said, “An outpost has been established on the beach with officers and forces deployed for tourist safety. 120 lifeguards are stationed at various points along the beach to assist tourists. A24-hour Integrated Control Room above the Traffic Stationhas been set up to monitor and manage all operations efficiently.”

The Puri Police has a dedicated team, supported by Yuva Shakti volunteers, to visit senior citizens anddifferently-abled individuals to ensure their safety and comfort.

Besides the administration has made enhanced security arrangements at key tourist locations, including Konark, Satapada, Ramchandi, Jahaniapir and Baliharchandi of Puri.

With the sun setting for the last time in 2024, Odisha reflects on a year of change.

New players like chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi have emerged on the political horizon of Odisha relegating many familiar faces to the background.

While BJP, which has formed a government in the state for the first time, will be looking forward to consolidating its gains in the upcoming year, the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD, which tasted defeat after 24 years of uninterrupted reign, hopes for a revival in the year ahead. BJD hopes it will bounce back with the popularity of itsparty supremo Naveen Patnaik still intact.