Christmas is just around the corner as dawn breaks, and the English New Year follows within the week. This year too, over the past few days, Park Street and several other areas of Kolkata have been decked up. Crowds have increased at the zoo, Victoria Memorial and other places. On Tuesday, the Metro rail and local trains were quite crowded, with most passengers heading to Park Street. Some wore big red glasses, others had Santa caps or light-fitted hair bands on their heads. From cakes and traditional sweets to kebabs and pizza stalls, Park Street stands ready for Christmas and New Year celebrations as one of Kolkata's major attractions. And like other years, Lalbazar has arranged tight security this year too.
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Additional deployment of security forces
Crowds pour into Park Street on Christmas. To ensure this joyous celebration goes uninterrupted, Kolkata Police has taken the initiative for special surveillance in the Park Street-Dharmatala area. According to Lalbazar sources, around two thousand police personnel are being deployed during the festive season. There will be 10 Deputy Commissioner-rank officers, 25 Assistant Commissioners, 27 Inspectors and 250 Sub-Inspectors. The crowds will increase from Wednesday. Considering the public gathering, vehicular movement on Park Street will be controlled from 4 PM today, tomorrow and on the 31st. When Park Street will be turned into a 'walking street' on Christmas and December 31st will also depend on the crowd size.
Due to security reasons, intensive checking arrangements have been made at the city's entry points. Police will be checking and patrolling around Dhalai Bridge, Shyambazar, Howrah-Burrabazar junction, Diamond Harbour Road, Ekbalpur, and areas around Red Road. Besides this, surveillance is being increased at major shopping malls, cinema halls, Metro and railway stations, nightclubs and bars. Fifteen watch towers have been set up at multiple important locations across the city, with five of them on Park Street alone. Police personnel will patrol using Radio Flying Squad, High Radio Flying Squad, motorbikes and mobile vans.
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Citizens can contact Lalbazar's control room or dial 100 to reach the police for any problem. Women Winners Team officers will be patrolling for women's safety. Plain-clothes police will also be present in areas expecting heavy crowds. Quick Response Teams are being kept ready to tackle any emergency situation swiftly. Besides this, surveillance will continue through CCTV cameras and drones. Apart from Lalbazar authorities, OCs, Additional OCs, Assistant Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of each police station will keep strict watch over the festive city.
