Rain queers cops' rally day car parking pitch
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The fresh spell of rain on Friday, with more occasional rain predicted even on Saturday, has left cops worried as they believe the Maidan area can be filled with slush.
The traffic department, which initially planned to utilise various fields across the city for parking buses and cars of parade attendees, is now frantically searching for alternative solutions on the main roads, stretching between Strand Road and APC Road.
"We are exploring all possible options to accommodate vehicles coming from the districts," said a senior traffic official from Lalbazar, stating that they were fixing specific zones for parking for each separate district, as is always the practice.
In response to the crisis, traffic guards are considering utilising empty streets within their jurisdictions. The northern section of APC Road, which typically remains vacant during such events, is being evaluated as a potential parking area.
Additionally, parts of Burrabazar-Posta, which are expected to be empty due to restrictions on goods vehicles during the parade, are also being considered. "Even if the weather improves later this week, the waterlogged fields may not dry up sufficiently to be used as parking spaces," said a traffic officer.
"We need to instruct the drivers well in advance and guide them so that we can adhere to the high court order and ensure there is no traffic jam during their movement," said an officer.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The situation is particularly challenging as several schools and colleges will remain open on the parade day.
Updates regarding alternative parking arrangements will be communicated to parade participants and the public in the coming days, said Lalbazar. On Friday, CP Manoj Verma met Howrah and Bidhannagar cops to discuss their rally preparedness. He will meet senior officers from the two 24 Parganas on Saturday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Rain queers cops' rally day car parking pitch
Kolkata: The Kolkata Traffic Police is facing a new challenge in managing vehicle parking for the upcoming Shahid Diwas rally on Monday, as persistent rainfall threatens to render designated parking fields unusable. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The fresh spell of rain on Friday, with more occasional rain predicted even on Saturday, has left cops worried as they believe the Maidan area can be filled with slush. The traffic department, which initially planned to utilise various fields across the city for parking buses and cars of parade attendees, is now frantically searching for alternative solutions on the main roads, stretching between Strand Road and APC Road. "We are exploring all possible options to accommodate vehicles coming from the districts," said a senior traffic official from Lalbazar, stating that they were fixing specific zones for parking for each separate district, as is always the practice. In response to the crisis, traffic guards are considering utilising empty streets within their jurisdictions. The northern section of APC Road, which typically remains vacant during such events, is being evaluated as a potential parking area. Additionally, parts of Burrabazar-Posta, which are expected to be empty due to restrictions on goods vehicles during the parade, are also being considered. "Even if the weather improves later this week, the waterlogged fields may not dry up sufficiently to be used as parking spaces," said a traffic officer. "We need to instruct the drivers well in advance and guide them so that we can adhere to the high court order and ensure there is no traffic jam during their movement," said an officer. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The situation is particularly challenging as several schools and colleges will remain open on the parade day. Updates regarding alternative parking arrangements will be communicated to parade participants and the public in the coming days, said Lalbazar. On Friday, CP Manoj Verma met Howrah and Bidhannagar cops to discuss their rally preparedness. He will meet senior officers from the two 24 Parganas on Saturday.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
No entry, detours & diversions: Cops gear up to keep city moving on protest day
Kolkata: Senior Kolkata Police Traffic officers gathered for a series of meetings on Friday following the high court directives for the Shahid Diwas rally. Sources said that with barely 48 hours left, officers are keen on implementing a "dynamic" process to keep at least some key connecting roads completely normal between 9 am and 11 am. While the officers primarily agreed to keep EM Bypass and AJC Bose Road untouched, there is still no clarity on how to ensure movement from north and south to central Kolkata. Sources said that officers will stop all movement from Vidyasagar Setu ramp towards Esplanade, and Hastings will be shut. All vehicles arriving in the city will be re-routed to Strand Road. "We will keep Kidderpore Road-Lovers Lane and Queensway open for office-goers, and thus the south-central movement should not be an issue. For the north-central access, we are hoping to keep Esplanade-bound CR Avenue-Lalbazar Street open. However, a final decision will be taken after review," said a top police source. With 9,000 vehicles entering the city, the officers are trying to ensure if CIT Road and College Street-Amherst Street can accommodate a sizeable number of vehicles so that both CR Avenue and APC Road can remain free. In this regard, traffic officers are asking schools about their plans. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo "We would like them not to disperse students between 11 am and 1 pm," said a source. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Officers said that although certain roads around the venue might be regulated post 11 am, they can keep key arterial roads moving almost all through the day. "Last year, we shut Moulali crossing only around noon. However, we did shut SN Banerjee at 5 am as rallyists began arriving around that time. With the challenge of providing parking to thousands of vehicles, we parked vehicles on Lenin Sarani, CIT Road, and Mullickbazar. We arranged parking as far as Rajabazar," explained an officer.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Time of India
Kolkata sizzles on hottest day of season, for second day in a row
Kolkata: The city recorded its hottest day so far this summer, with the maximum temperature rising to 39.1°C on Saturday, three and a half notches above normal. With warm northwesterly winds blowing into the region, the mercury will continue to hover around the 39°C mark, said the Met office. The districts around Kolkata are expected to receive thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday. However, it will not be enough to bring down the mercury significantly until at least May 12.A bulletin issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) on Saturday stated: "Mainly dry westerly to northwesterly wind is likely to prevail at lower levels over the region, and consequently, hot and humid conditions are likely over the districts of south Bengal on May 10, with heatwave conditions likely over some districts from May 10. Also, in view of the availability of moisture and heating impact, the possibility of enhanced thunderstorm activity with heavy rainfall over some districts of north Bengal and isolated thunderstorm activity over some districts of south Bengal is likely."On Friday, the city recorded a maximum of 38.6°C, the highest until then. The mercury rose further on Saturday, even as the city continued to reel under sweltering heat. "Dry and hot winds are blowing into the region. We expect the maximum temperature to hover between 37°C-40°C until Tuesday. The wind pattern could change after that, and moisture may start flowing in with southwesterly winds. If that happens, the city and its surroundings will receive thunderstorms," said HR Biswas, a weather scientist at RMC. The minimum temperature stood at 29.1°C on Saturday. North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas may receive thunderstorms between Sunday and Monday. "There will be some impact of the rain and a drop in mercury in Kolkata, which may not last long," said has not received a significant spell of rain since April 30. There were some drizzles, though, that helped to keep the mercury in check until May 6. On Saturday, the real-feel temperature — a measure of how the heat feels on the skin, calculated based on factors like temperature, wind direction, humidity, and sun rays intensity, among others — stayed at 45°C, just like it was on Friday. "It will continue to remain humid and uncomfortable. It is not unusual for the mercury to touch 40°C in Kolkata in May. Last year, it touched 43°C and kept hovering around the 40°C mark for several days, even as the city experienced a heatwave. This year, the mercury touched 39°C for the first time on Saturday," said a weather official.
