Kolkata: Learning from the two security breaches earlier, Kolkata Police is leaving nothing to chance for the final dress rehearsal on Wednesday even as elaborate arrangements for the R-Day celebrations have already kicked in. “This R-Day parade will be on similar lines as the past and we are ensuring that everything goes as per plan,” said a joint commissioner.
Several key roads around the Maidan will be shut from 6.30am on Wednesday that will include Hospital Road, Lovers Lane, Queensway, Casuarina Avenue, Plassey Gate Road, Kidderpore Road, Red Road, Gosthapal Sarani and R R Avenue (Southern flank) between Govt Place East and Govt Place West. The road blocks have been granted till 12 noon though cops said that traffic might resume progressively from around 9am. Traffic police is setting up strong two-layer and three-layer barricades in the rehearsal zone around Maidan instead of using guardrails.
AJC Bose Road between Kidderpore Road and D L Khan Road is also likely to be closed to vehicular traffic especially during the period when military personnel and vehicles will be brought to the assembly point.. No goods vehicles will be allowed to ply or stay on St Georges Gate Road, Strand Road and approach roads to the venue of the parade then.
Kolkata Police will also increase patrolling at the city’s entry and exit points.