Spl forces to guard venue; 9 roads made one way from 4 am to 9 pm

Kolkata Police has made elaborate security arrangements for the Martyr’s Day meeting on July 21 at the Esplanade area.

Kolkata Traffic Police has made special traffic arrangements to maintain smooth traffic flow as much as possible.

Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, Vineet Kumar Goyal and other senior Kolkata Police officials on Wednesday visited the area and also checked the dais from where Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee will deliver her speech. He also sought information from the senior officials about the traffic movement plan and diversion plan for July 21.

Goyal said: “As it is apprehended that more people will visit the Esplanade area this year, adequate arrangements have been made. There will be several important persons, including multiple Z category protectees, who will be present in the dias. Adequate CCTV cameras have been installed and necessary traffic arrangements for both the important persons and common people have been made.”

The area around the dais has been divided into multiple zones. Each of the zones will be under the supervision of a Deputy Commissioner (DC) rank officer.

Police personnel of specialised forces equipped with sophisticated weapons will keep a strict vigil in and around the dais from the high-rise buildings in the area. Other than the DCs who will be posted in the security zones, several DCs will be looking after the law and order situation in the city. Additional CPs will supervise the entire arrangement.

Apart from security aspects, special traffic arrangements have been made for July 21. Nine roads in the city have been made one way from 4 am till 9 pm. While Amherst Street and Brabourne Road have been marked for South-bound movement, Bidhan Sarani between K C Sen Street and Vivekananda Road, College Street, Strand Road between Hare Street and Raja Woodmunt Street, Bentinck Street and Rabindra Sarani between B K Paul Avenue and Lalbazar Street marked for North-bound movement. BB Ganguly Street has been marked for the West-bound movement and New CIT Road has been selected for the East-bound movement.

This apart, no goods vehicles other than those carrying LPG cylinders, vegetables, milk and fruits will be allowed to enter the city from 3 am to 8 pm. Parking of vehicles will not be allowed in and around the AJC Bose Road between Hastings Crossing and Cathedral Road, Hospital Road, Queensway, Cathedral Road, Casuarina Avenue and Lovers Lane. Movement of all kinds of vehicles, including trams, will be temporarily suspended or diverted from 4 am to 8 pm or as and when considered.