Despite mad rush, Kolkata Police manage to fare well

Kolkata: With huge pressure on traffic on the last day of most offices and at the same time when lakhs of pandal-hoppers are already on the roads, the Kolkata Police have managed to keep vehicles moving to avoid major traffic congestion on important thoroughfares in the city.

On Monday, ie on Panchami, pandal-hoppers set out for visit from one end to the other.

On the other hand, Monday was the last day of office for state government employees. As a result, there was heavy rush on almost all major thoroughfares mainly in the central part of the city when the office-goers were returning home.

The traffic movement in some parts had slowed down in the evening as both pandal-hoppers and office-goers gathered at the same time at important intersections to board vehicles to reach their respective destinations.

The police have managed the situation quite well, ensuring that the vehicles keep moving.

Additional policemen have already been deployed from Chaturthi onwards for both crowd and traffic management during the Durga Puja.

Senior police officers were also on the roads to control the situation so that commoners do not face any sort of inconvenience. The police have not allowed pedestrians to walk on the roads that could lead to traffic congestion. Unlike other time of the year, everyone has to cross the road from an identified area at intersections.

In a bid to ensure that no one gets down on the road from pavements, security barricades have been placed.

Hundreds of people gathered at the intersections of major thoroughfares and the police have managed well in helping them cross the roads.

At the same time the police also kept the vehicles moving and there was no stagnation.

Additional policemen were also deployed at the locations where there are Puja mandaps off major thoroughfares. Thus, movement of traffic in those areas was adequately addressed.

The crowd at the Puja mandaps increased at night and the police left no stone unturned to ensure that people did not face any unnecessary harassment.

Kolkata: The Bengal government will set up a a 24-hour control room at the state Secretariat from Tuesday to keep a tab on any untoward situation during the Durga Puja and till the Lakshmi Puja in the state. According to a senior government official, starting Tuesday (Shashthi) the control room will be operative and it will continue till October 5 (Lakshmi Puja). The control room is scheduled to be headed by a joint secretary-level officer and an officer from the state Disaster Management Department, he said adding that the contact number to be dialled in need is (033)22143526. "Anyone can call up to inform about any incident. Our officers will immediately take necessary action. Our officers will be in touch with the police stations. The police stations will be informed," he said.