Eye on traffic flow, cops start pandal checks
Times of India | 17 September 2025JCP (HQ) Miraj Khalid led the inspection, which began at 11.30 am and covered 12 pandals in south Kolkata—Behala Nutan Dal, Behala Barisha Club, Haridevpur Vivekananda Park Athletic Club, Ajay Sanghati, 41 Palli, Naktala Udayan Sangha, Kamdahari Purba Para Panchadurga, Kendua Shanti Sangha Patuli, Bosepukur Talbagan, Bosepukur Sheetlamandir, Chetla Agrani and Suruchi Sangha.
To ensure smooth traffic flow and preventing a stampede-like situation, police asked organisers to replace raised platforms at entry and exit points with wooden slopes and apply fireproof chemicals on exposed ropes and cloth.
"Organisers were told to install exhaust fans in enclosed puja structures for ventilation and to maintain sufficient power backup. We emphasised the need for a contingency crowd circulation plan," said a Lalbazar officer.
Specific directions were issued to some puja organisers. Haridevpur Vivekananda Park Athletic Club was told to widen its exit gate and 41 Palli to expand the path to the pandal. Suruchi Sangha and Chetla Agrani will have to prevent visitors from blocking thoroughfares, something that had led to huge jams in south Kolkata last year.
Babu Samanta of Chetla Agrani Club said, "PWD will set up barricades for controlled entry and exit, and volunteers will keep crowds from spilling onto roads.
" A Suruchi Sangha official said ventilation would be ensured along barricaded channels.
Sandipan Bandhopadhyay, chief organiser of Behala Nutan Dal Puja, pointed out the changes they had implemented: "We have arranged for two entry points. We have also come up with a one-way crowd circulation plan, coordinated with Behala Friends." Haridevpur Ajeyo Sanghati and 41 Palli have also coordinated in such a way that after visiting 41 Palli, pandal-hoppers' next stop can be Vivekananda Park Puja and then Ajeyo Sanghati.
Police checks in central and north Kolkata will be on Wednesday, with the final round to be led by commissioner Manoj Varma on Friday.
