The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) rolled out a twin initiative during the 149th Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad on 16 July, combining heat mitigation measures with a citywide cleanliness awareness campaign to improve conditions for the lakhs of devotees who lined the procession route. Mist vans, fire brigade units, and public awareness stalls were deployed along the route throughout the day.

Heat Relief Measures Along the Procession Route

Fire and Emergency Services personnel periodically sprayed water on road surfaces along the Rath Yatra route to suppress rising surface temperatures. Dedicated mist vans operated on a continuous basis, releasing fine water mist into the air to lower ambient temperatures and ease the discomfort caused by the summer heat.

'Fire brigade teams and mist van units remained on constant patrol, spraying water wherever required as the procession moved through the city. The arrangements were made with a focus on the convenience and safety of devotees attending the Rath Yatra,' officials said.

Cleanliness Campaign Targets Civic Awareness

Running in parallel, AMC's Solid Waste Management Department used the occasion to advance its cleanliness agenda along the procession route. The department set up public awareness stalls and deployed a live mascot representing the city's four-bin waste segregation system.

The mascot interacted with devotees throughout the route, encouraging them not to litter in public spaces, to segregate waste correctly, and to contribute to keeping Ahmedabad clean. The campaign's central message — 'Clean Ahmedabad, Beautiful Ahmedabad' — was directed at the large gatherings of devotees and residents who attended the event.

Public Engagement and Response

Many visitors, including children, were drawn to the mascot, with several stopping to take photographs and engage with the cleanliness initiative. The dual focus on religious celebration and environmental responsibility drew positive attention from attendees along the route.

'The initiative aimed to combine the city's religious celebrations with greater awareness of environmental responsibility and civic cleanliness,' officials noted.

Operational Coordination Across Departments

AMC coordinated multiple departments to ensure the smooth management of the 149th Rath Yatra. All departments remained operational throughout the day, maintaining arrangements for public convenience, safety, and sanitation along the procession route. This comes amid a broader push by urban local bodies across Gujarat to embed civic messaging within large religious gatherings — events that naturally concentrate public attention and participation.

With the Rath Yatra drawing lakhs to the streets annually, civic authorities view the procession as a high-visibility platform for public health and sanitation outreach. Whether the cleanliness messaging translates into lasting behavioural change will be the longer-term test of such campaigns.