Kolkata: More volunteers, sturdier dais and strict adherence to cop guidelines — Kali Puja organisers in Kolkata are playing it safe in the wake of the Chorbagan stampede on the first Saptami of Durga Puja, which claimed 19 lives.Organisers of several Kali pujas in the city said that while their pandals do not attract crowds on the scale of Durga Puja pandals, the soirees they organise draw large numbers of visitors.At Naba Yubak Sangha Fatakeshto Kali Puja, off Keshab Chandra Sen Street in central Kolkata, the organisers have decided to deploy more volunteers than in previous years. “We will increase the number of volunteers this year. Besides, the path leading to the pandal will be sufficiently illuminated,” said an organiser. Prabandhan Ray, chief organiser of the puja, said they would adhere to all advisories issued by police.A few metres away, on Amherst Street, Young Sporting Club organises another popular Kali Puja (Amherst Street Sadharan Sri Sri Kali Puja). A member of the organising committee said they would build a sturdier dais for the idol than in previous years to prevent any accident. “We organise the puja on the road. People do not have to walk into our pandal to see the idol. Our focus is on the dais.”Since Amherst Street is infamous for waterlogging, the electric boards at the Young Sporting Club puja will be at least 5 feet above the road. Suman Roy Chowdhury, chief organising secretary of the puja, said there would be 1.5 times more CCTVs in and around the pandal compared with previous years.“We are spraying an anti-fire chemical on the materials with which the pandal is being made. If required, we will spray the chemical one more time on the puja days. We have also asked the supplier of fire extinguishers for updated certificates mentioning their expiry dates,” he said.An official at Chetla Agrani, in south Kolkata, said the club would organise this year’s Kali Puja in the Durga Puja pandal, but with some crucial changes to the set-up. These include keeping the front of the pandal completely open so visitors can view the idol from outside. “We will also minimise barricaded channels along the entry passage, deploy more volunteers and keep more ambulances to handle any unforeseen situation,” said Sabyasachi Chowdhury, a senior club member.Sandipan Saha, president of Janbazar Sammilita Kali Puja Samiti, said volunteers around the pandal on SN Banerjee Road always stay alert to avert any accident. “We will follow the usual protocol,” he said. A regular commuter on the stretch said the size of the pandal has shrunk.
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