Cops begin pandal recce early, check preparedness
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Kolkata: With less than 40 days till Mahalaya, police in Bidhannagar and Kolkata have started early inspections of Durga Puja pandals across the city. The visits, which began this week, are aimed at assessing preparedness and ensuring compliance with safety and crowd management guidelines.
On Monday, senior officers of Bidhannagar City Police, including those of deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner rank, visited several major Durga Puja venues in Salt Lake and Dum Dum Park, including Salt Lake's AK, BJ, and FD blocks, as well as Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha and Dum Dum Park Tarun Dal.
During the visits, organisers were reminded of mandatory guidelines, like avoiding the use of laser lights, setting up separate entry and exit channels, and preparing detailed crowd management plans.
"Last year, multiple pandals in the township drew a large number of visitors, which made both traffic and crowd management challenging. This year, we have started inspections early. More visits and meetings will follow in the coming weeks," an officer said.
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At AK Block, organisers were instructed to ensure that entry and exit pathways are sufficiently wide and that the ground remains dry to prevent difficulties during emergencies.
"The police asked about our theme and traffic management arrangements," said Raja Banik of the AK Block committee, which is focusing its theme on the life and works of film-maker Ritwik Ghatak to mark his centenary.
In Kolkata, officers-in-charge of all police stations have submitted preliminary reports to Lalbazar after visiting pandals in their jurisdictions. The reports detail themes, estimated crowd sizes, and anticipated inauguration dates.
Senior officials, including deputy commissioners and joint commissioners, are expected to begin their own assessments soon.
Police sources indicated that central Kolkata will be a priority area this year. Reviews will include crowd control measures and parking arrangements, particularly in light of new theme-based pujas in the area. "This year, Md Ali Park, College Square, and Santosh Mitra Square may see revised crowd circulation plans.
We are preparing two versions — one assuming normal local train services, and another for a scenario without train movement.
If trains are not running, the usual Sealdah-College Street-CR Avenue pedestrian flow could be reversed to manage the increased footfall, especially with larger pujas also being organised in the Jorasanko and Girish Park areas," an officer said.
According to a deputy commissioner, the early inspections are meant to address two key concerns: the possibility of heavy rain during the festival and the need for an effective traffic circulation and parking strategy.
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1 2 3 4 Kolkata: With less than 40 days till Mahalaya, police in Bidhannagar and Kolkata have started early inspections of Durga Puja pandals across the city. The visits, which began this week, are aimed at assessing preparedness and ensuring compliance with safety and crowd management guidelines. On Monday, senior officers of Bidhannagar City Police, including those of deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner rank, visited several major Durga Puja venues in Salt Lake and Dum Dum Park, including Salt Lake's AK, BJ, and FD blocks, as well as Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha and Dum Dum Park Tarun Dal. During the visits, organisers were reminded of mandatory guidelines, like avoiding the use of laser lights, setting up separate entry and exit channels, and preparing detailed crowd management plans. "Last year, multiple pandals in the township drew a large number of visitors, which made both traffic and crowd management challenging. This year, we have started inspections early. More visits and meetings will follow in the coming weeks," an officer said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata At AK Block, organisers were instructed to ensure that entry and exit pathways are sufficiently wide and that the ground remains dry to prevent difficulties during emergencies. "The police asked about our theme and traffic management arrangements," said Raja Banik of the AK Block committee, which is focusing its theme on the life and works of film-maker Ritwik Ghatak to mark his centenary. In Kolkata, officers-in-charge of all police stations have submitted preliminary reports to Lalbazar after visiting pandals in their jurisdictions. The reports detail themes, estimated crowd sizes, and anticipated inauguration dates. Senior officials, including deputy commissioners and joint commissioners, are expected to begin their own assessments soon. Police sources indicated that central Kolkata will be a priority area this year. Reviews will include crowd control measures and parking arrangements, particularly in light of new theme-based pujas in the area. "This year, Md Ali Park, College Square, and Santosh Mitra Square may see revised crowd circulation plans. We are preparing two versions — one assuming normal local train services, and another for a scenario without train movement. If trains are not running, the usual Sealdah-College Street-CR Avenue pedestrian flow could be reversed to manage the increased footfall, especially with larger pujas also being organised in the Jorasanko and Girish Park areas," an officer said. According to a deputy commissioner, the early inspections are meant to address two key concerns: the possibility of heavy rain during the festival and the need for an effective traffic circulation and parking strategy. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
