For the Durga Puja festivities today, security has been increased across Kolkata as people have already started flocking to prominent pandals, according to the police. 400 pickets have been placed at various areas, 17,000 police officers, including 10,000 home guards, have been deployed around the city, 58 PCR vans, and 41 quick response teams have been sent out.
According to Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, the deployment will last till Vijay Dashami as well as during idol immersion rituals, such as carnival day, when colorful processions led by particular community pujas pass through the city’s Red Road.
According to Mr. Goyal, ‘Full-fledged deployment has started from today, Chaturthi (fourth day) of the Durga Puja festivities, and this force will continuously be there till the end of the festival.’ In case there is a higher crowding than expected in any given area during the festive days, he said, extra resources will be put in place.
‘Contingency plans are made in advance to cope with situations, be it rain or overcrowding,’ he said. People have already scheduled visits to puja pandals in preparation of Mahasaptami, which occurs on October 2, because the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast showers from that day.
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