The Kolkata pandal stampede that killed 19 people has forced major Durga Puja organisers to reconsider public entry during the remaining days of the festival, with several high-footfall venues temporarily shutting their gates as police teams inspect crowd-control arrangements across the city.
Pandals including Chetla Agrani, Suruchi Sangha, Tala Pratyay and Santosh Mitra Square closed entry for two to three hours after the incident at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal on Saturday night. Visitors were asked to return while organisers reviewed arrangements before allowing entry to resume.
The incident has left organisers concerned about managing crowds at venues with narrow access points, large visitor volumes and extensive light-and-sound displays. At Santosh Mitra Square, organiser and BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh said the scale of the gathering had made crowd management difficult despite microphones being switched off and announcements being made. He said the organisers had agreed to reduce the duration of the light-and-sound show after receiving police directions.
“We have become shaky,” Ghosh said, adding that he did not want to see a similar incident during the festival. He also said the government would determine responsibility for the accident. The organisers are continuing to review whether the pandal can remain open, depending on further instructions and conditions on the ground.
Police have identified seven high-risk pandals because of large gatherings, narrow entry and exit routes or reported crowd-management concerns. The list includes Santosh Mitra Square, College Square, Hatibagan Sarbojanin, Tala Pratyay, Ballygunj Cultural, Tridhara and Kendua Shanti Sangha.
Special police teams have been visiting pandals one after another to inspect entry routes, exits, lighting and other safety arrangements. At Kashi Bose Lane, organiser Somen Dutta said the committee was following police instructions. After an inspection, the organisers increased lighting at the venue on the police team’s advice. An organiser at Hatibagan Sarbojanin also said the pandal was inspected before visitors were allowed in.
The state government has deployed seven experienced IPS officers to assist with crowd safety across Kolkata: Murlidhar Sharma, Rupesh Kumar, Priyabrata Roy, Dipak Sarkar, Miraz Khalid, Soumya Roy and Tarun Haldar. A special committee has also been formed to assess the remaining pandals and submit a report. The committee is led by Rajesh Sinha, Secretary of the State Disaster Management Department, Anuj Sharma, Director General of Fire Services, and Javed Shamim, Additional Director General of the Special Task Force.
Following a high-level meeting, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the police administration was working to prevent a repeat of the Chorebagan incident during the remaining festival days. He asked organisers to remain alert and follow police recommendations strictly.
The government has also advised puja committees to consider conducting rituals and sankalp with only priests present if crowd conditions require it. In that situation, pandals could be closed to visitors while exterior LED screens allow the public to watch proceedings. Organisers are expected to continue taking decisions on public entry in consultation with police teams during the remaining days of Durga Puja.
