Kolkata gears up for 69th Republic Day

Kolkata: The state is geared up to observe the 69th Republic Day on Friday.

There will be parade on Red Road that will be attended by Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

There will be certain restrictions on movement of traffic on Friday. The roads including Hospital Road, Lovers Lane, Casuarina Avenue,

Kiddeerpore Road from Hastings Crossing to J and N Island, Rani Rashmoni Avenue between Y Road tram track and Government Place West, Gostha Pal Sarani, Plassey Gate Road, Duffering Road, Outram Road, Esplanade Ramp and Government Place West. These places will remain closed from 5.30 am until the parade is over and the crowd is dispersed.

Red Road will remain closed from 10 pm onwards on January 25 until crowd is dispersed after the parade.

People, who will avail buses or trams, will have to alight either at Esplanade or on Park Street or Strand Road to reach the venue.

Parking of vehicles will not be allowed from 5.30 am in the morning on Rani Rashmoni Avenue, Chowringhee Road,

Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Cathedral Road, Queens' Way and Outram Road.

Besides taking all necessary steps to ensure proper traffic management, stringent security arrangement has also been brought into place.

The Red Road and its adjacent areas have been divided into 125 sectors. 3,000 policemen will be deployed to ensure security in the area and there will be three quick response teams (QRT) around the venue.

Ten bunkers have been set up and there will be six bullet proof morchas besides the 10 watch towers at different points. There will be 11 police assistance booths and 14 ambulances in place.

There will also be constant patrolling in the river. Seven patrolling teams have been deployed in river Hooghly. Both the bomb and dog squads have started the frisking operation since

Thursday night.

Senior officers including twenty-two deputy commissioners of police and additional commissioners of police will be supervising the entire security arrangement.

Vigilance has been increased at metro stations and other important places including shopping complexes, zoological garden, hotels etc.

There has been constant checking at the entry and exit points of the city since Wednesday night.