Rain on KP mind as cops ready 9-11 plans after HC order
On Saturday, Kolkata Police commissioner Manoj Varma toured Kolkata with stopovers at traffic guards on fringes like Thakurpukur and Garia Dhalai Bridge before coming back to the city centre to review traffic preparations. This was in tune with the Calcutta High Court order on Friday that directed Kolkata Police to ensure that no procession for the July 21 rally takes place between 9 am and 11 am. The order further asked cops to ensure there is no traffic congestion on routes leading to the high court and other offices within a five-kilometre radius in central Kolkata.
"We have had specific discussions and have passed instructions to my teams. We are taking all adequate measures to ensure the stipulations mentioned by the Honourable HC are maintained. We will ensure that the rally is conducted smoothly without hampering traffic movement and complying with the court order," said Varma. "We also urge commuters to call us on our helplines in case of any trouble."
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The top cop left his home around 11 am, travelled from Park Circus via the Maa Flyover to Science City.
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He then held a brief meeting at Patuli and inspected the area from Dhalai Bridge and drove to Behala Joka, where he interacted with officers of Thakurpukur Traffic Guard. Incidentally, these are the two points from where majority of vehicles carrying supporters from South 24 Parganas arrive.
Varma then visited the Hastings area before visiting the Esplanade rally venue. He then headed towards Bhabani Bhawan. Varma added he also had discussions with his counterparts in Baruipur, Diamond Harbour, Bidhannagar, Barrackpore, and Howrah about traffic management from the bordering areas.
Sources said the cops plan to halt traffic coming from the city fringes at these bordering areas and wouldn't allow large vehicles carrying supporters to enter the city before 11 am to mitigate the traffic chaos.
According to an estimate, several lakhs of people are likely to arrive in Kolkata on Monday in buses and trains from every subdivision block and panchayat area. While the party arranged for accommodation and meals for workers at four different places since Friday, a large chunk of party supporters arrive from the city and its neighbouring districts on the day of the rally, choking city traffic.
At Esplanade, final preparations were on, with senior KP officers, including Varma, inspecting the venue. Sniffer dogs and cops from the bomb squad also inspected the stage and the surroundings every few hours.
"Rain is our biggest challenge. We are equipped to manage traffic congestion due to the rallyists, but if it rains heavily, our plans will take a hit," said a senior officer.
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