A stampede at Kolkata’s Chor Bagan Durga Puja pandal killed 19 people and injured 25 on Saturday.
New guidelines require raincoats, walkie-talkies, ambulances and unobstructed entry and exit routes at major pandals.
Police have tightened VIP access, rain-related restrictions and crowd management following preliminary findings into the stampede.
Fresh crowd-management measures have been introduced at Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata after a stampede at Chor Bagan on Saturday killed 19 people and injured 25. The new guidelines, issued by the Forum for Durgotsab and the police, seek to ease congestion and strengthen emergency response during the festival, reported PTI.
The stampede occurred at a popular Durga Puja venue in north Kolkata on Saptami, the seventh day of the festival. Heavy rain and a surge of people moving through a narrow bylane reportedly led to the crush, with slippery roads adding to the difficulties.
The revised measures cover crowd movement, emergency arrangements, public announcements and restrictions on VIP access. They follow preliminary findings into the circumstances surrounding the stampede.
New Safety Measures For Pandals
The Forum for Durgotsab, an umbrella body representing around 400 puja organising committees, has asked organisers to keep at least 10 raincoats and walkie-talkies at each pandal.
Organisers have also been instructed to make regular announcements discouraging visitors from taking selfies or recording videos while moving through crowded areas.
The forum has further asked its members to ensure that at least one ambulance is available in each zone to provide an immediate response during emergencies. Forum member Saswata Basu said the guidelines were issued after a meeting with prominent puja organisers on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a committee comprising police and fire department officials has been formed to review security arrangements at major puja venues and recommend changes wherever necessary.
Officers-in-charge and assistant commissioners of police have also been directed to inspect pandals attracting large crowds and ensure that entry and exit routes remain unobstructed.
Police Tighten Crowd Restrictions
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held a meeting with senior police officers and bureaucrats on Sunday to review the arrangements.
“If needed, crowds will be restricted. There will be no separate queues for VIPs. We will do whatever it takes,” he told PTI.
Police have also directed organisers not to allow visitors to enter pandals to take shelter during rainfall. Officials have been asked to ensure adequate lighting inside pandals, prevent VIP vehicles from approaching them and monitor announcements made over public-address systems.
Police officers have attributed congestion partly to visitors stopping to take photographs and videos of idols and decorations, slowing the movement of people through crowded spaces.
Preliminary Probe Points To Crowd Surge
A preliminary investigation found that the Chor Bagan pandal was already witnessing heavy footfall on Saptami evening when rain began. While people inside reportedly stayed back to avoid the rain, more visitors continued entering through both the entrance and exit, adding to the congestion.
A police officer told PTI that an announcement, followed by volunteers blowing whistles, may have triggered panic and contributed to the stampede.
The probe has also raised questions about the response of personnel deployed at the venue. Allegations that some police officers left their posts to avoid getting drenched have prompted instructions that personnel must remain on duty during rain and continue managing crowds.
Officials have also faced allegations that some victims had to be transported to hospital in app-based cabs, highlighting concerns about emergency response arrangements at the site.
