Kolkata on high alert for New Year’s Eve with massive security cover

Kolkata will be under an unprecedented security blanket on New Year’s Eve, with police deploying nearly double the number of personnel compared to Christmas Day to manage large crowds, prevent rowdiness and ensure public safety during year-end celebrations.

Around 6,500 police personnel will be deployed across the city in two phases — an initial posting from around 9 a.m, followed by the main deployment from 4 p.m onwards.

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Senior officers said the crowd on 31 December is expected to be larger than on Christmas, requiring tighter crowd control and quicker response mechanisms.

Sources in Kolkata police said that there will be special concentration in Central Kolkata, particularly the Park Street area where the rush is expected to be high.

Of the total deployment, around 4,000 police personnel will be stationed on roads between Park Street and the Alipore Zoo–Alipore Jail Museum stretch, with nearly 2,500 cops posted on Park Street alone.

Another 1,300 uniformed personnel will be deployed across other hotspots and special nakas in different parts of the city.

As in previous years, extensive use of technology will be made for surveillance.

Drones and a wide network of CCTV cameras will monitor crowd movement in Park Street and the Alipore Zoo areas.

Multiple watchtowers will be set up, and the central business district will be divided into several zones, overseen by 18 IPS officers. Police assistance booths will also be set up to help revellers.

Specialised teams from the detective department, the Kolkata Police STF, Special Branch and quick response teams (QRTs) will be on the ground.

By evening, plainclothes personnel, teams from the detective department’s watch section and the all-women “Winners Team” will be deployed in and around Park Street to prevent harassment and other illegal activities.

Sources at Kolkata Police headquarters, Lalbazar, said special teams have been formed based on intelligence inputs, with a special focus on the safety of women, children, and the elderly.

Extra security will also be in place on the Kolkata Metro, with additional Railway Protection Force personnel deployed to manage passenger rush.

Police have ordered a strict crackdown on drink driving, with special raids likely to continue daily through the festive period.

Instructions have also been issued to ensure crackers are not burst beyond court-mandated hours and to act against DJs playing music above permissible sound limits.

Cops have further decided not to allow people to loiter or block entrances of eateries.

“The crowd will be larger than Christmas and rowdiness is usually higher on this day, so our response has to be adequate,” a senior police officer said, adding that while Kolkata is generally considered safe, strict enforcement is necessary to ensure peaceful celebrations.