Kolkata Police has begun deploying additional personnel across the city for Durga Puja, with the security operation expanding as the number of pujas rises to 2,981 this year. Extra arrangements began from Tritiya, while the full deployment is scheduled to start from Wednesday afternoon, or Chaturthi, according to information from Lalbazar.
The largest concentration of pujas is in the South Suburban Division, also known as the Jadavpur division, which has 685 puja venues. The Behala division follows with 598. The other divisions include East Kolkata with 335 pujas, North Kolkata with 312, South Kolkata with 258, South-East Kolkata with 208, the East division with 193, Central Kolkata with 128, the Port area with 116 and Bhangar with 148.
Police have identified several major venues in Central Kolkata, including College Square, Mohammed Ali Park and Santosh Mitra Square, as well as large pujas in South Kolkata, for intensified security arrangements. Police pickets are being placed near major pandals, while personnel will also guide visitors as they leave one venue and travel to another through designated routes.
Police officers and senior personnel will take to the roads with their teams from 4 pm. Around 20,000 volunteers are expected to assist with crowd management, pedestrian crossings and the smooth movement of traffic. The arrangements are also intended to address daytime crowds, as many visitors complete pandal visits in the morning and afternoon before returning home or going back to their neighbourhoods.
Adequate police deployment is planned during the day at 27 major pandals. Because the number of pujas has increased, between 10 and 15 smaller pandals in each city division will also receive police coverage. Depending on the location, the deployment will be supervised by a sergeant or an assistant sub-inspector, with between four and eight police personnel assigned to individual venues.
The security operation includes two rounds of deployment involving 20 heavy radio flying squads, 10 special radio flying squads and 30 police control room mobile vans. These patrol vehicles will remain in contact with the traffic police. In the event of an incident such as a fire, police vehicles will escort fire engines to the affected location.
Kolkata Police will deploy three launches to patrol 15 ghats, while another launch will monitor other river ghats. Police will also conduct surveillance from 42 watchtowers using binoculars. Police assistance centres will be placed outside major puja venues, and seven mobile police assistant vans will patrol the city. Traffic police assistant booths will operate at six locations.
Quick Response Teams comprising combat personnel will be stationed at nine locations. Fourteen police ambulances and 14 trauma-care ambulances will remain available for visitors. Ten vehicles attached to missing-person squads will patrol the city to assist in cases involving missing children and senior citizens.
Police have also said that adequate personnel will be deployed outside 32 Metro stations. The immersion process is scheduled to take place between October 21 and October 24, extending the need for crowd, traffic and riverfront coordination beyond the main days of pandal visits.
