Route doesn’t change, length of procession scaled down

But this year the Jagannath Temple Trust has appealed to the Ahmedabad Truck Owners’ Association and the Ahmedabad Rathyatra Akhara Association to restrict the number of trucks to 35 and ‘akharas’ to 15.

However, a decision on this proposal is pending as both associations will first talk with the temple trust. ‘‘We are trying to ensure the size of the rath yatra is reduced. The objective is to ensure the yatra returns to the temple by 8 pm,’’ said Mahendra Jha, managing trustee of the Jagannath Temple Trust.

‘‘Earlier, the yatra used to finish around 10 or 10.30 pm. But this year, we want to get it over with before dark,’’ he added.

President of Ahmedabad Rathyatra Akhara Association Mukesh Hadvaid said the decision would depend on the temple trust. ‘‘We haven’t decided the number of Akharas this year. However, we have to do what the temple says,’’ said Hadvaid. Meanwhile, the temple has not yet applied for permission for the rath yatra.