Siliguri, Oct. 7 -- With just a few days left for Durga Puja, preparations are in full swing across Siliguri. The administration is prepared to ensure a safe, smooth and clean festive season in the city. Syed Waquar Raza, the Commissioner of Police, Siliguri Police Commissionerate visited numerous Durga Puja pandals to inspect the safety preparations.
On Wednesday, he along with other officials from other departments, including fire safety, visited Dada Bhai, Subrata Sangha, Central Colony and other Durga Puja pandals. They checked the entry-exit points, proper barricades and other preparations.
"We have taken several measures to maintain law and order during the festive days. Additional forces will be deployed in the city, while plainclothes personnel will be stationed at Puja pandals to strengthen surveillance. We will also use drones for aerial monitoring, and immediate action will be taken in case of any untoward incident," said the Commissioner.
According to police, around 840 pujas are organised under the Siliguri Police Commissionerate, of which nearly 400 are held within the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area. The Commissioner also urged residents planning to travel during the Puja holidays not to post photographs or information on social media indicating that their homes have been left vacant, citing security concerns.
Traffic management will also be tightened during the festival.
Totos will not be allowed to operate on city roads during Puja days to help control congestion. Four-wheelers and larger vehicles will be allowed only on designated roads.
Meanwhile, the SMC has also intensified preparations to keep the city clean throughout the festival. As part of the cleanliness drive, Tourism minister Shankar Ghosh on Wednesday inaugurated 12 new garbage-cleaning vehicles for the city. The civic administration will deploy the vehicles across different parts of Siliguri during the festive period.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.