In a first, KP tender for Tricolour rakhis and toffees
Times of India | 14 August 2026
Kolkata:In a first, Kolkata Police had floated a Rs 5.5 lakh worth tender to procure 50,000 rakhis and one lakh toffees for Rakshabandhan celebrations. The hands used to nabbing criminals will tie the Tricolour rakhis, complete with a KP emblem, on the wrists of people.
An exercise that was expanded during the RG Kar movement to regain public trust is now set to get even bigger. Lalbazar on Wednesday floated a tender to buy 50,000 rakhis, which will be distributed across the city on Aug 28, the day of Rakhi. With the state govt embracing and celebrating the festival of universal unity and brotherhood, Lalbazar has allocated a budget of Rs 5.5 lakh for the programme. Out of this, Rs 4.5 lakh—or Rs 9 apiece—has been earmarked to procure the rakhis.
What has come as unique this year is the KP effort to standardise the look of their rakhis. “Till now, we have procured rakhis on our own, mostly individual unit-wide, and distributed the same. An effort to standardise the look, size, and feel of the rakhis will be a major rebranding exercise. The initiative has been taken to strengthen our bond with the citizens,” said a senior cop in the KP administrative wing.
According to the final design approved in the tender, Kolkata Police has designed a special Tricolour rakhi. The round rakhi, 5.2 cm in diameter, features three layers of colour—saffron at the base, white in the middle, and green on top, bearing the Kolkata Police emblem. The rakhi band, also saffron in colour, measures approximately 35 cm in length. Officials said the design reflects the Tricolour while showcasing the force’s insignia. The cops have uploaded the final design to their official tender document as a point of reference.
Once approved, the rakhis will be distributed in batches to various police units with plans on how to use them, said sources. While the elite Winners squad was at the forefront of these Rakhi celebrations—along with female personnel from traffic units—in past years (now renamed and expanded to Durga Suraksha Squad), the celebrations this year will also involve local police units.
The cops will also be distributing toffees along with rakhis, especially to children. Rs 1 lakh has been earmarked to procure one lakh toffees and lozenges. Cream fills and butter toffees have been selected as the preferred choices, said sources.
“On the day of Rakhi, all divisions and traffic departments of KP will observe Raksha Bandhan. We will reach out to the maximum number of people to assure them that we are with them. Our motto is the safety of all citizens, and among them, we put utmost importance on the security of women and children,” said a joint CP.