Kolkata: At a pandal in South Kolkata’s Ballygunge, visitors gather around the larger-than-life idol of Durga Maa, clicking pictures and recording videos. Security guards monitor the exit gates as organisers move in and out of the pandal, checking arrangements and ensuring that entry and exit points remain unobstructed.
The site of one of South Kolkata’s most iconic Durga Puja celebrations, the Ballygunge Cultural Pandal is among three pandals where a high-powered committee found safety arrangements lacking. The committee was formed following Saturday’s stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata, which left 19 people dead and at least 27 injured.
After identifying lapses including inadequate lighting, congested exits and the use of inflammable materials in the decorations, the fire department issued notices to the committees organising the three pandals—Chetla Agrani, Ballygunge Cultural and Tridhara Sammilani.
Since the stampede, the committee has conducted checks at prominent pandals likely to draw large crowds and has given the organisers a day to rectify the identified lapses.
At Chetla Agrani, the committee flagged inadequate lighting and a lack of fans and air-conditioning inside the pandal. It also found an unauthorised temporary structure and LPG cylinders in the adjoining area.
“The high-powered committee also reported the presence of an illegal temporary structure and LPG cylinders in the area adjacent to the Chetla Agrani pandal,” an official statement said. The committee ordered the immediate demolition of the temporary structures.
At Tridhara Sammilani, inspectors found “large quantities” of inflammable materials used in the pandal’s interior decoration. “If a fire breaks out due to any reason, there is a risk of loss of life due to the generation of toxic smoke,” said officials.
At Ballygunge Cultural, the team found a congested exit with poor lighting, with the inspectors themselves struggling to leave the pandal. Commercial stalls near the entry and exit points were also found to be obstructing visitor movement, prompting an order to stop these activities.
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Ballygunge committee makes changes after inspection
When ThePrint visited the Ballygunge Cultural pandal on Monday, the road leading there was lined with stalls selling everything from ice cream and jewellery to phuchka. Big brands and food vendors competed for the attention of pandal-hoppers, while games and other commercial activities added to the bustle.
Inside, however, the organisers had already begun implementing the committee’s recommendations. Senior committee member Bapi Mukherjee and secretary Saptak worked through Sunday night to address the lapses identified during the inspection.
Mukherjee, who has been associated with the Ballygunge Cultural Puja committee for three decades, said the pandal was closed on Sunday night to allow the organisers to make the necessary changes.
The inspection team had asked them to remove the railing in front of the Durga idol, saying it restricted the space available for visitors to stand and offer prayers.
“Soon after the inspection, we closed the pandal and, through the night, removed the railings to create more space for visitors,” Mukherjee said.
He added that removing the railings had made it easier for visitors to move out of the pandal while giving them more room to offer prayers.
The issue of restricted access has come under sharper scrutiny following the Chorbagan tragedy, where a narrow road leading to the pandal was further constricted by railings that cordoned off a separate VIP entrance. After the stampede, the state administration ordered the removal of VIP entry arrangements.
“We have also removed the VIP entry and now have enough space inside and outside the pandal,” Mukherjee said.
Despite the changes, Mukherjee remains worried both over how the arrangements will hold up as crowds swell later in the evening and whether the changes they made are enough to avoid another inspection.
Chetla Agrani goes beyond suggestions
At the Chetla Agrani pandal too, organisers said they have followed orders and installed additional lights and air conditioners following the inspection.
The Durga idol is mounted on a chariot, with dim background lighting creating an immersive experience for visitors. However, when the inspection team visited on Sunday, it flagged inadequate ventilation and poor lighting.
“We already had four air conditioners. We installed four more after the inspection. We also installed more fans to improve ventilation,” said Aditya Das, a member of the organising committee.
The high powered committee had also raised concerns over LPG cylinders used by stalls near the exit gates, warning that they posed a safety risk.
“We asked the stalls to remove the LPG cylinders. They are now preparing food elsewhere and bringing it here after cooking. Those cooking on-site are using induction cooktops,” Das said.
He added that beyond the suggestions made by the high powered panel, the puja committee has also stepped up its own monitoring by installing CCTV cameras, keeping four ambulances on standby and deploying 700 volunteers at the venue.
(Edited by Chingkheinganbi Mayengbam)
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