Cops tweak traffic plan, tighten security a day before Christmas

KOLKATA: Park Street virtually turned into a fortress as thousands turned up to soak in the Christmas spirit on Monday. Having learnt it the hard way on earlier occasions, Kolkata Police piled in around 600 cops in the zone lying between JL Nehru Road crossing and Allen Park but the traffic snarls could hardly be avoided. As the revellers began arriving, the detective department and the special all-women force — The Winners — pitched in. The entire arrangement was in place as early as 4pm.


This time, revellers were allowed to enter Park Street through both flanks (Asiatic Society and Flurry’s) and they made the most of it. “Allen Park witnessed massive footfall and we had to carry out smaller tweaks in traffic plans,” said an officer. No one was allowed to block the restaurant gates nor stand at a spot for more than a few minutes. “They are too strict this time round,” complained Moumita Chatterjee, who had come all the way from New Town.

The police action, however, was hardly a deterrent for Kolkatans who took advantage of the weather to take a stroll through Park Street. “Not everyone visits Park Street to enter a pub or a restaurant. The walk from Asiatic Society to Allen Park usually takes a little over five minutes. On Monday evening, most people needed more than 25 minutes to cover the same stretch. Some did multiple sorties, even walking the entire triangle — JL Nehru Road-Park Street-Camac Street-Middleton Street-–Park Street,” said an officer. The cops have divided Park Street in seven zones with 12 DCPs in charge of security.

In the crowd was a 32-year-old woman with one-yearold twins in identical pullovers. Swati Kar Gupta was taking a walk down Park Street to “keep up the family tradition”. “I have been coming to Park Street for over a decade, usually on New Year’s Eve. However, it will be too crowded for the kids. But I still want my children to grow up with this tradition, so here I am,” she said.

A family from North 24 Parganas came to Park Street after spending four hours at the zoo. “My daughter was desperate to come here. We spent time at the zoo and then came down to see the lights on Park Street,” said Surya Kumar Shaw from Bisharpara.

Though the cops did not carry out drink-driving checks on Park Street till late into the night, the campaign was carried out elsewhere in the city. Drivers who tried to take the wheel after a few pegs were hauled up. Some of the first ones to get caught — as early as 8pm — were a taxi driver in Kasba and a businessman near the Howrah Bridge.

Anticipating heavy rush of commuters at Esplanade, Park Street and Maidan, Metro Railway also strengthened its security arrangements and deployed 12 officers and 48 staffers. Apart from Commando deployment at Metro stations, one officer, along with two armed personnel, ensured security of passengers. Luggage scanners, doorframed metal detectors and hand-held metal detectors were also utilized.