Kolkata: The city police saw 2,652 Durga Puja committees apply on the online single-click permission system, Aasaan. Of them, 1,428 were granted permission by Wednesday night.
Last year, 2,936 organisers applied for permission. Lalbazar sources said with more than two weeks left for Durga Puja, it is likely that the applications will surpass last year's number. Sources said divisional meetings will be held with each puja organiser to work on managing traffic and pedestrian movement in and around each pandal.
At the coordination meeting, Kolkata Police commissioner Manoj Verma said that a special app is being developed for puja revellers, and will be launched in a few days.
Additional police will be on the streets from Tritiya. With Dashami falling on Oct 2, idol immersion must be completed by Oct 4. The Red Road carnival will be held on Oct 5. Lalbazar has asked the puja organisers to submit their accounts and statements of donations between Oct 15 and 20.
"We will work together, and success will follow. Every year, everyone contributes to the safety and security of the festival. With such a large number of pujas, coordination is the key," Verma said.
Saswata Basu, vice-president of Forum for Durgotsab, and a key figure in the Hatibagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Committee, said, "Overall, we are satisfied with this meeting."