Puri Rath Yatra: Airtel Strengthens Network With New 5G Sites; Vodafone Idea to Broadcast Event Live

Highlights

Airtel upgrades Puri network with 5G technology ahead of the Rath Yatra festival.
More than 1,500 new Airtel 5G sites deployed across Odisha in the last 12 months.
Vi offers free live darshan of the 12-day Rath Yatra celebrations on Vi Movies & TV.

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Puri Rath Yatra: Airtel Strengthens Network With New 5G Sites; Vodafone Idea Offers Live Darshan on OTT Platform

Indian telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) have announced initiatives related to the Puri Rath Yatra. Airtel has completed a major network enhancement programme across Odisha, with a special focus on ensuring seamless connectivity during the festival, while Vi is facilitating 24×7 live darshan of the Yatra ceremonies on Vi Movies & TV.

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Airtel Boosts 5G Infrastructure Across Puri Ahead of Rath Yatra

Airtel said it has upgraded its network infrastructure across Puri and key road and rail corridors leading to the holy city to cater to the expected surge in voice and data traffic during the annual festival, according to an exchange filing July 14, 2026.

All network enhancements have been equipped with 5G technology to support uninterrupted voice services and high-speed data connectivity during peak crowd movement. The company said the upgrades are aimed at delivering a reliable network experience for millions of devotees expected to participate in the festival.

Over 1,500 New 5G Sites Strengthen Airtel’s Odisha Network

Over the past 12 months, Airtel has deployed more than 1,500 new 5G sites across Odisha, strengthening its network footprint in all 30 districts. The expansion has enhanced high-speed connectivity for more than 11 million customers across urban centres, emerging towns and rural areas in the state.

“Over the last 12 months, the company has deployed more than 1,500 new 5G sites across the state, significantly strengthening its network footprint across 30 districts and enabling reliable high-speed connectivity for over 11 million customers spanning urban centres, emerging towns and rural communities,” Airtel said.

Announcing the development, Abhirup Chatterjee, Chief Operating Officer, Bharti Airtel, said ensuring uninterrupted connectivity during the Puri Rath Yatra remains the company’s top priority.

“Puri Rath Yatra is one of Odisha’s most revered and largest public gatherings, attracting millions of devotees from across the country and abroad. Ensuring uninterrupted connectivity during this period is our utmost priority,” Chatterjee said.”We have completed extensive network enhancements across Puri and key travel corridors. These investments reaffirm Airtel’s commitment in delivering a reliable, resilient and superior network experience for every customer throughout the celebrations.”

Airtel Introduces Unlimited 4G and 5G Plans

In addition, Airtel Odisha has introduced Fully Unlimited prepaid packs starting at Rs 399, offering unlimited 4G and 5G data along with unlimited voice calls. The plans are aimed at enabling customers to stream, share, work, study and stay connected without daily data usage limits, according to Airtel.

Vi Brings Puri Rath Yatra Live Darshan to Customers Nationwide

Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea said Vi customers across India can view the live relay of the 12-day Rath Yatra festivities directly from Puri.

“Giving Lord Jagannath devotees an opportunity to watch the Rath Yatra Live from anywhere, leading telecom operator Vi is facilitating Live Darshan of the Yatra ceremonies. The Live Relay can be accessed by Vi customers at no extra cost, on Vi Movies & TV- Vi’s OTT aggregator platform that offers easy access to 20+ OTT platforms under one roof,” Vi said in an official release dated July 15, 2026.

Vi Streams Key Rath Yatra Rituals and Devotional Content

In partnership with SheemarooMe, Vi said it has curated a special content series for this 12 days long festival. From July 16 to July 27, 2026, Vi customers can watch the live telecast of the Rath Yatra and its key rituals on the Vi Movies & TV, including the Gundicha Yatra, Bahuda Yatra, Suna Besha, Adhar Pana and Niladri Bije, allowing viewers to witness every significant moment of the festival.

Vi said that starting July 16, Vi Movies & TV will showcase a specially curated 24×7 devotional experience featuring documentaries on the making of the majestic Rathas, the history and traditions of the Jagannath Temple, conversations with Daityapatis, Pandas and Rath Shilpis, along with fascinating stories exploring the lesser-known rituals and cultural heritage associated with the Rath Yatra.

Vi added “Accessible to all Vi customers via Vi Movies & TV, this initiative further strengthens the platform’s growing portfolio of diverse content, offering a richer mix of entertainment, cultural and devotional content.”

Vi Movies & TV offers easy access to 20 renowned OTT platforms, including SheemarooMe, JioHotstar, Z5, SonyLIV, Lionsgateplay, FanCode, and others.