Kolkata recorded 833 cases for alleged traffic-law violations on the second Saptami night of Durga Puja, with police action covering helmet violations, triple riding, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a list released by Lalbazar.
The number of cases recorded on the night was nearly twice the total reported during the previous three days, the Anandabazar report said. Until the first Saptami, the number of traffic-law cases had been around 450. That figure rose to 833 on the second Saptami night as police intensified monitoring across the city.
The largest category involved riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Lalbazar’s list recorded 269 cases against riders accused of violating the helmet rule. Police also filed 148 cases for carrying three people on a single motorcycle, a practice that increases the risk of loss of control and injury on crowded city roads.
A further 127 cases involved alleged reckless driving. The list also recorded 120 cases against people accused of driving while intoxicated. Another 169 cases were filed under other traffic-related provisions, taking the total to 833.
The enforcement action comes during the period when Kolkata police increase patrols and surveillance for the Durga Puja celebrations. The festival brings a major rise in movement across the city, with large numbers of residents and visitors travelling between pandals, markets, neighbourhoods and transport hubs. Police monitoring during the festive period is intended to prevent reckless and intoxicated driving and to respond to traffic violations on roads under heavier-than-usual pressure.
The report said surveillance had been in place from the night of Panchami. It also noted that the number of arrests had increased alongside the rise in cases, although the supplied police list does not provide a category-wise breakdown of arrests.
The figures offer a snapshot of how festival-period enforcement is being used to address routine road-safety risks in Kolkata. Helmet use, multiple passengers on two-wheelers, dangerous driving and alcohol-impaired driving are being tracked as separate enforcement categories rather than treated as a single festive-season traffic problem.
For residents and visitors, the police action means that travel during the remaining festival period will continue to take place under heightened scrutiny. Lalbazar’s published list provides the latest reported tally of cases, while further enforcement figures will indicate whether the increase was concentrated on the second Saptami night or continues through the rest of the celebrations.
