ER readies Durga Puja crowd-control plan

Kolkata: Expecting a huge rush of pandal-hoppers travelling to Kolkata on suburban trains, Eastern Railway’s Sealdah division has planned crowd-control measures, including stoppage of all galloping trains at all stations during the four puja days.
At the behest of DRM, Sealdah, Deepak Nigam, a meeting was conducted on Friday to discuss safety and security arrangements in all sections of the division to control the massive crowds likely to travel between Oct 9 and 12.Other steps planned for the festival days include monitoring of train punctuality and setting up of help desks with helpline numbers at busy stations, like Sealdah, Dum Dum Jn. Kolkata and Barasat. “A list of important phone numbers, including that of local police stations, hospitals and fire brigades, will be displayed at these booths,” an ER official said. Extra fire extinguishers will be kept at the stations as well.
“We are especially concerned about the 50-odd pandals set up within 10m-20m of railway tracks,” the official said. Special RPF contingents will be deployed at these places in coordination with local police, he said.
Special RPF personnel and volunteers will be deployed at 24 busy level crossings, identified in consultation with the local administration, including in Barasat, Khardah, Ballygunge, Barrackpur, Bongaon, Sonarpur and Baruipur. Trolley movement will be restricted at Sealdah station during peak hours — from 6pm to 5am — on puja days. Five more booking counters will also be opened and extra general coaches will be added to mail and express trains to accommodate the rush. Additionally, medical assistance booths, with doctors and paramedical staff, will be set up at key stations, like Sealdah, Dum Dum, Naihati and Barasat.
The passenger address system (PAS) will be monitored at stations like Sealdah, Bidhannagar, Dum Dum, Naihati, Ballygunge, Sonarpur, Kolkata, Kanchrapara, Barrackpur, Majherhat and Krishnagore. Loud hailers will be in place in case the PAS doesn’t work. All major construction activity has been pushed back at stations in the Sealdah division and the circulating areas during puja days.