Kolkata Police received a stark preview of the impending New Year's Eve chaos as the final weekend of the year saw thousands of celebrants descending upon the city's popular destinations. From Alipore Zoo and Princep Ghat to Eco Park and Science City, massive crowds kept law enforcement officials on their toes throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Weekend Surge Tests Police Preparedness
The festive pressure was palpable across the city. By Saturday afternoon, Alipore Zoo had transformed into a sea of people, necessitating the deployment of approximately 300 police officers outside its gates alone. In central Kolkata, another 400 personnel were stationed between Esplanade and the Maidan to manage the influx of visitors from the city and neighbouring districts.
"The zoo always gets extremely crowded around Christmas and New Year, so we thought the weekend would be slightly easier," shared Pallabi Sengupta, a resident of Purbachal who visited the zoo with her niece. "But by afternoon, it was already overflowing." The scene was similarly chaotic at New Market, where shoppers jostled for space to buy decorations, food, and party supplies ahead of the celebrations.
Massive Security & Traffic Plan for December 31
Anticipating that the New Year's Eve rush will far exceed the weekend crowds, Kolkata Police has announced that the extensive traffic management strategy used on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be reactivated for December 31 and January 1. The arrangements will mirror the scale of Durga Puja traffic control, with selective barricading at key points to prevent pedestrians from spilling onto roads.
A two-phase deployment plan has been crafted to manage both vehicular flow and pedestrian safety:
- Phase 1 (From 9 am): Focus on major crowd magnets like Alipore Zoo, Victoria Memorial, Birla Planetarium, Science City, and the Indian Museum. Around 500 officers will be positioned between Alipore Zoo and the Maidan, with another 350 handling traffic around Maidan and Esplanade.
- Phase 2 (From 3 pm onwards): Maximum deployment shifts to the Park Street–Camac Street–New Market corridor, the traditional epicentre of Kolkata's New Year celebrations. The stretch from Alipore Zoo to Park Street will see a deployment of over 3,500 personnel.
Inspectors will lead teams even inside malls expecting high footfall. Additional security layers will include Quick Reaction Teams, the all-women Winners Unit, and drone surveillance over Park Street and Alipore Zoo.
Pedestrian Channels and Pollution Checks in Place
To ensure public safety, special pedestrian channels have been created and traffic signal timings adjusted to facilitate safer crossings, especially for children. Park Street will remain open to traffic, but a 2.5-metre-wide pedestrian corridor will lead towards Allen Park, while pavements will be reserved for diners. Separate arrangements are also in place for emerging party zones along EM Bypass connectors, particularly around Kasba.
In a joint move to curb noise and air pollution during the midnight celebrations, Kolkata Police and the state Pollution Control Board (PCB) have announced strict restrictions. Firecrackers will only be permitted between 11:55 PM on December 31 and 12:30 AM on January 1, and only eco-friendly varieties will be allowed. The use of microphones and loudspeakers will be banned from 10 PM to 6 AM. Senior PCB officials will be monitoring air and noise levels throughout the night.
