Anticipating massive festive crowds, the Kolkata Police, headquartered at Lalbazar, has rolled out an extensive security and traffic management blueprint for Christmas celebrations. Learning from the heavy footfall witnessed last Sunday, authorities are preparing for a prolonged rush starting from the morning itself on December 24 and 25.
Major Traffic Restrictions and Diversions
With Christmas falling mid-week, a significant crowd is expected throughout the day in the Park Street-Allen Park-Shakespeare Sarani-Middleton Row zone. To manage this, Park Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on Christmas Day as required, from the JL Nehru Road crossing to Wood Street crossing, including all of Middleton Street. Contrary to the usual practice, it will not be converted to two-way traffic until 3 am on the previous night.
Similarly, Russel Street will have a no-entry rule, and Little Russel Street from the Shakespeare Sarani crossing will be shut. Traffic flow on several other key roads, including Shakespeare Sarani and Camac Street, will be dynamically decided as two-way based on real-time assessments from Lalbazar.
Detailed diversion plans have been charted. Vehicles heading to Park Street from Outram Road will use Ho-Chi-Minh Sarani to Camac Street, then Short Street and Wood Street. Those coming via Mayo Road and JL Nehru Road will be diverted via Kyd Street up to Free School Street, then Royd Street to Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road before taking a right turn to Park Street.
Extended Police Deployment and Crowd Control
The police will implement a marathon close to 20-hour deployment on both days, beginning as early as 9 am and ending only after 2 am the next morning. The focus in the morning will be on Alipore Zoo, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Science City, shifting to Park Street and newer celebration zones like Kasba by the afternoon.
A larger contingent than last year will be deployed at Park Street-Maidan. The strategy includes placing an officer at every crossing, even less significant ones between Ekbalpore and Maidan-Park Street, to ensure smooth pedestrian flow and prevent jaywalking. A major irritant—people blocking eatery entrances—will also be strictly prohibited.
Drink-Driving Checks and Wider City Impact
Naka checks and anti-drink driving campaigns will be doubled. Police have signaled that special raids will be a daily feature to counter this challenge. Regulation of vehicular traffic is also planned around other popular destinations including Indian Museum, Victoria Memorial, Birla Planetarium, Kalighat Temple, New Market, and Millennium Park.
To manage pressure on EM Bypass due to traffic heading to Eco Park, Nicco Park, and Science City, morning plans have been redrawn with more personnel. Vehicles bound for Behala, Alipore, and New Alipore may be advised to use Red Road and Mayo Road from Esplanade and Dalhousie to ease congestion on JL Nehru Road.
This comprehensive, layered approach aims to ensure that the year-end festivities remain joyful and safe for all Kolkatans and visitors, making the revelry feel more like a smooth 'pandal-hopping' experience.
