Kolkata Police has placed senior women officers in charge of the Durga Suraksha Squad and introduced GPS-linked dispatching of nearby women police teams ahead of Durga Puja, with the stated aim of reducing response time to complaints involving women in crowded public spaces.
Under the revised arrangement, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Detective Department (Special), Shailaja Das, will oversee the squad. Women police personnel deployed on motorcycles will be connected directly to the police control room during the festival period, according to a report by Sanmarg – Kolkata.
A woman needing assistance can call 112, after which the control room will identify the nearest Durga Suraksha Squad motorcycle team through GPS tracking. The closest team will then be alerted and directed to reach the location. The system is intended to allow the police to match an emergency call with the nearest available patrol unit rather than rely only on conventional station-based deployment.
For minor or general complaints, the motorcycle team will try to resolve the matter at the spot. If the complaint is serious, the local police station’s officer-in-charge and other officials will be informed immediately. The instructions require police personnel to reach the location when necessary, manage the situation and ensure further action.
The squad’s Team A will include 99 women constables assigned to motorcycle patrols. Of these, 62 will be deployed from the A-1 unit at the Police Training School barracks and 37 from the A-2 unit at the Rajdanga barracks. Team B will have 48 women constables conducting patrols from pink booths and four-wheel vehicles.
The revised deployment comes as Kolkata prepares for the large crowds and extended public activity associated with Durga Puja. The festival places additional demands on policing in roads, neighbourhoods, public spaces and transport-linked areas, where crowd density can make it difficult for people to locate or reach a police unit quickly. The new arrangement places the control room at the centre of dispatch, location tracking and escalation.
Instructions on the revised responsibilities were issued during a video conference held by Kolkata Police before the festival. Officers and squad members were briefed on the need for quick responses to women’s safety complaints, prompt arrival at locations and immediate communication with local police stations when required.
The police said the arrangement is intended to provide immediate assistance to women in crowded areas and public spaces during the Puja period. Its operation will depend on calls reaching the 112 system, accurate GPS location data and the ability of the nearest squad team to move through congested streets. The reported deployment structure and control-room process are the immediate measures announced ahead of the festival.
