Kolkata has intensified security and emergency arrangements for Durga idol immersion after 19 people were reported killed in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin puja pandal, with police deployed across river ghats, water bodies and major road intersections. The arrangements will remain in force through immersion activity on Ekadashi.
According to a report by Sangbad Pratidin, police have been deployed at 28 ghats along the Ganga, five Adi Ganga ghats and 34 water bodies and ponds across the city. Police pickets have also been placed at around 200 important intersections to manage movement and respond to emergencies.
Eighteen Indian Police Service officers have been assigned to supervise immersion security. Twelve will be stationed in Kolkata, while two each will oversee arrangements in Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar. Immersions began at the ghats after noon, with heightened police activity scheduled every day from 4 pm between October 21 and 24.
This year’s arrangements also change how idols will be handled at the riverfront. Cranes have not been kept at the ghats for immersion. Instead, the administration has arranged additional trolleys and labourers to move the idols and remove their structures. Nine trolleys have been placed at Nimtala and 12 at Babughat, while 300 labourers have been assigned to support the operation.
The report said the decision followed repeated instances in which idols were damaged while being lifted by cranes. The administration has instructed officials to ensure that idols are handled with care during the immersion process. Immersion will continue on Ekadashi under the administration’s directions, extending the period during which police, emergency services and civic teams must coordinate crowd and water-safety operations.
Twenty-five life-saving boats will be deployed to support rescue operations, while National Disaster Response Force teams will remain stationed at the ghats. Waterway surveillance will also continue. Kolkata Municipal Corporation ambulances have been kept ready for medical emergencies, and special arrangements have been made to remove structures quickly, regulate crowds and respond to incidents.
The report said that 604 idols had been immersed in the Ganga by 6 pm on Wednesday. The number reflects the scale of the operation across multiple waterfront locations, where pedestrian movement, idol transport, road traffic and river safety have to be managed at the same time.
Security arrangements are also being monitored beyond Kolkata. The administration has issued instructions concerning immersion at Taki, with the state government’s message being communicated to district authorities. The next phase of operations will depend on continued deployment at the designated ghats, intersections and waterways through the October 21-24 security period.
