- New guidelines issued for Kolkata Durga Puja pandals.
- Measures follow deadly stampede killing 19 people.
- Focus on crowd management, safety, no VIP queues.
Kolkata Durga Puja: The authorities in Kolkata have announced new set of guidelines for crowd management at the Durga Puja pandals days after 19 people were killed and 25 others got injured in a stampede at a pandal on Saturday. An umbrella organization of around 400 organizing committees and the state police have announced new restrictions to manage the rush. The devotees have also been advised to follow the guidelines and make necessary arrangements to avoid inconveniences.
What Are New Changes?
- The puja organisers have been asked to arrange at least 10 raincoats in each pandals along with walkie-talkies to ensure smooth communication
- The organisers must make frequent announcements inside the pandal to manage the rush
- They have also been asked to restrict videography to streamline the crowd
- There must not be any separate queues for VIPs
- The officials are required to visit the crowded pandals regularly to minimize the inconveniences
- Devotees should not be allowed to take shelter in pandals during rainfall
"West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who met top police officers and bureaucrats on Sunday, said that if needed, crowds will be restricted. There will be no separate queues for VIPs. We will do whatever it takes," Saswata Basu, a forum member, was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Recommended For You
"In case of rain, people should not be allowed to enter the pandal to take shelter; the interior of the pandal should be well-lit, no VIP vehicle should be allowed to go near the pandal, and police will monitor the announcements made by the organisers on the public address system," he added.
What Triggered Stampede?
Earlier, the probe revealed that the devotees at the Chor Bagan pandal, where the stampede broke out, panicked due to the rainfall and sudden announcements. "Volunteers at the pandal started blowing whistles. This apparently triggered the stampede," an official was quoted as saying.