Kolkata’s administration has ordered inspections of the city’s major Durga Puja pandals after a crowd crush-like situation at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja reportedly killed 19 people and injured 25 during Saptami celebrations.
A special team formed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will inspect the arrangements at popular puja venues during the remaining festival days. The team is being led by Disaster Management Secretary Rajesh Singh, Fire Services Director General Anuj Sharma and Special Task Force Additional Director General Javed Shamim. Kolkata Police will assist the team, with guidance from the state police director general, according to the report.
The inspection team will submit its findings to Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh. Puja committees have been told to follow the team’s recommendations. The chief minister said that where crowd movement or temporary structures create a safety risk, organisers may be required to limit activities to the religious ceremony and use LED screens outside the pandal for visitors.
“Puja committees should work according to the recommendations made by the inspection team,” Adhikari said, adding that the remaining days of Ashtami, Navami and Dashami required heightened vigilance. He also said that all pujas could not simply be shut down, but that crowd surges and possible deficiencies at some venues had to be addressed.
The administration’s response began after the incident at Chorbagan. The chief minister visited Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, where injured people were taken, and later reached the site. The report said that an emergency meeting was held with hospital authorities and that the incident site was inspected.
Police detained 12 members of the puja committee for questioning. The administration has announced an investigation into the disaster, including an examination of who was responsible for arrangements and a review of closed-circuit camera footage. A special investigation team is also planned, with officials from the Special Task Force, the Criminal Investigation Department and other agencies. The report said the proposed team would be led by a judge, for which a letter would be sent to the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court.
The immediate administrative challenge is to manage large crowds at pandals that attract visitors from across Kolkata and beyond, while ensuring that temporary structures, access routes and emergency movement are not compromised. The inspection order places responsibility on both enforcement agencies and puja committees during the festival’s remaining public events.
The West Bengal government has opened a toll-free helpline at 18003455678. It has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh for each deceased person’s family, along with a Group D job for one family member, and Rs 5 lakh for each injured person in addition to covering treatment costs. The Prime Minister’s Office has announced assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those who died and Rs 50,000 for injured people. The administration said the inspection and investigation processes would guide further action during the remaining Durga Puja celebrations.
