Massive security arrangements in place, 6000 cops deployed for mega rally

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police will have stringent security arrangements and at the same time a comprehensive traffic management plan for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs' Day rally on Sunday.

A senior official of the Kolkata Police said on Saturday that there will be 6,000 police personnel deployed. There will also be three Quick Response Teams (QRT), Heavy Radio Flying Squads (HRFS), four teams of the Kolkata Police's Reserve Police Force in action.

The city police have already come up with five watch towers and roads leading to the venue of the rally have been divided into 10 zones. 100 CCTVs have been installed in and around the rally area to keep a close watch on the movement of party supporters who will be holding processions from different parts of the city including Howrah and Sealdah stations and converge at the site of the rally. There will be four Deputy Commissioners supervising the arrangement. 40 police pickets have been set up at different locations in and around the city.

"We are ready to make traffic diversions as and when necessary to ensure that the traffic movement is normal," a senior official of the Traffic department said.

A sub-control room has also been set up on the terrace of the Victoria House (CESC Building), beside the venue to keep a close watch on the movement of the masses.

There will be bomb squad personnel and dog squads to prevent any untoward incident. The Kolkata Police have arranged for 18 trauma care ambulances at different locations in and around the city with eight giant screens being erected at different corners of the city. No goods carriage including trucks, matadors will be allowed to enter the city from 4 am on Sunday till 8 pm.

TMC observes the Martyrs' Day every year on July 21 in its bid to pay homage to 13 Youth Congress workers, allegedly killed in police firing in 1993 during the Left Front regime in Bengal. Banerjee will be the main speaker at the event and other senior party leaders will also address the rally.