Odisha Police have ordered a fresh review of Durga Puja safety arrangements across the state after 19 devotees died at a pandal in Kolkata, with officers directed to reassess crowd control, emergency evacuation plans, traffic management and compliance with safety norms at festival venues.
DGP (in-charge) Vinaytosh Mishra issued the instructions on Sunday to the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissionerate police and district superintendents of police. The review covers crowd movement, emergency response and the capacity of pandal areas during the festive rush.
“While accidents can occur at any time, we are fully prepared and alert. Following the Kolkata tragedy, we have reassessed our security, crowd-management and traffic plans. Field officers have been instructed to revisit all pandals, verify compliance with safety protocols and remain extremely vigilant. They have also been asked to prevent overcrowding at pandals,” Mishra said.
The directions place particular emphasis on preventing congestion at venues, where large numbers of devotees can gather within a limited area. Police have asked puja committees to deploy enough volunteers to help regulate queues and maintain the movement of visitors. The DGP said organisers and police personnel would have to work together to ensure that pandals do not become overcrowded.
The review is also significant for Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, where police had already held meetings with puja organisers and issued detailed safety advisories, according to Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh. Singh warned that violations of prescribed norms would invite strict action.
“Public safety cannot be compromised under any circumstances,” Singh said, adding that organisers could not disregard safety requirements and expect the police to manage the consequences. He said pandal committees had to fulfil their responsibilities and comply with the safety protocols laid down for the festival.
The measures include checks on crowd capacity, closer monitoring of movement inside and around pandals, and preparedness for emergency evacuation. Police have also appealed to devotees to maintain discipline, follow queue systems and cooperate with personnel deployed at the venues.
IGP (Central Range) Satyajit Naik said static police deployments and mobile squads had been positioned at major pandals to respond quickly to emergencies. Special anti-snatching and anti-eve-teasing teams have also been deployed to strengthen the safety of devotees.
The police review highlights the shared responsibilities involved in managing large public gatherings. While police deployments are intended to regulate movement and respond to incidents, organisers are responsible for following prescribed safety norms, providing volunteers and ensuring that venue arrangements do not create dangerous congestion. The revised checks will be carried out at pandals across Odisha during the ongoing festive period.
