Guard rails put at entry points of Puja pandals, security beefed up at malls

Kolkata: The police arrangement for the Durga Puja will remain almost the same except some minor changes.

On Wednesday after the review petition was heard, the Calcutta High Court upheld the previous order where no visitors were allowed to enter the 10 meter radius of any Puja pandal with some minor relaxations.

Following the order given by the High Court, police across the state have put up guard rails to block the entry points. In Kolkata, by Wednesday midnight, police placed guard rails with 'no entry' signage at every Puja pandals' entry point and also deployed police personnel to enforce the High Court order strictly.

This apart, dhakis are allowed to be present just outside the "no Entry zone" in each pandal. They should wear masks and maintain proper hygiene. Sources informed that as the visitors are not allowed to enter Puja pandals, police assume that people may visit other important places during the festive season. For this reason, security in the shopping malls, theatres, cinema halls and other important places have been stepped up.

However the traffic restrictions in the city will continue as it was planned and additional traffic police force deputed compared to normal situation will be continued till the Durga Puja ends.

The division bench of the comprising Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Arijit Banerjee, said that a maximum of 45 Puja organisers can be present inside the pandal at a time. For small Pujas, the maximum number of organisers who can stay inside the pandals at a time is 10.

The Puja organisers will have to hang a list of persons who would be entering the pandal and the number must not be more than 60 for the big pujas. For the small pujas the number of persons authorised to enter the pandals must not be more than 30.

Organisers can change the list for each day.