Kolkata’s urban management capabilities. Within a little over an hour of the event’s culmination around 2:40 PM, vehicles began to flow smoothly along one flank of Central Avenue, a swift return to normalcy facilitated by the agile response of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the city police. Their coordinated efforts in removing barricades and managing crowd dispersal highlighted a progressive approach to urban event management, prioritising the swift resumption of city life while balancing public participation.
Despite the admirable speed of barricade removal, a more persistent challenge emerged: the throngs of party supporters eager to capture selfies and group photographs with the dais as a backdrop. Even as senior party leaders urged them to move, many lingered, climbing onto the platform for better shots, underscoring the human element of mass gatherings and the evolving dynamics of public engagement in the digital age. This enthusiastic interaction, while a natural outcome of such events, presented a unique hurdle for the authorities striving to clear the thoroughfares.
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Senior police officials noted that a higher turnout this year contributed to a longer-than-usual crowd dispersal, despite the meeting concluding earlier than in previous years. A significant number of attendees, particularly those arriving by bus from district areas, displayed a reluctance to leave the city immediately after the rally. Traffic officers observed that with police restrictions on their arrival between 9 AM and 11 AM, many supporters opted to extend their stay in the city, adding to the dispersal challenge. This insight highlights the need for integrated planning that considers the human aspect of attendees’ behaviour and their desire to experience the city beyond the event itself.
The unusual parking arrangements further complicated the post-event logistics. Due to last week’s incessant rain, traditional parking areas such as the Bangabasi ground and Brigade Parade Ground were waterlogged and unusable. Consequently, buses were compelled to park on Red Road and adjoining thoroughfares like Casurina Avenue. Their staggered departure, as passengers slowly returned, caused temporary slowdowns on Red Road, Hospital Road, and Kidderpore Road, demonstrating the ripple effect of logistical challenges on urban mobility.
By 3:05 PM, the Esplanade-bound flank of Central Avenue was partially reopened, initially allowing two-wheelers and cars to proceed towards Park Street. Within minutes, by 3:15 PM, this flank was ingeniously split into two-way movement near the venue, enabling smaller vehicles like cabs and cars to navigate around the remaining stage setup towards Shyambazar. The systematic dismantling of the stage commenced around 4:30 PM, signifying the final phase of event de-escalation. Concurrently, by 3:30 PM, east-west vehicular movement along Lenin Sarani, from the Raj Bhavan end towards Moulali, resumed after guard rails and barricades were efficiently cleared.
A robust team of over 700 staff from the KMC’s solid waste management department spearheaded an extensive clean-up operation. The rally venue, along with bus parking areas at Babughat and supporter lodging sites like Gitanjali Stadium in Kasba, were meticulously cleared of water bottles, posters, and other debris. Mechanical sweepers were deployed on Central Avenue, working in tandem with sweepers loading refuse into hydraulic dumpers. A senior KMC official affirmed that all waste was promptly transported to trucks and ultimately disposed of at Dhapa, underscoring the civic body’s unwavering commitment to leaving no garbage behind and upholding the city’s cleanliness standards. This comprehensive and rapid clean-up sets a benchmark for post-event environmental responsibility in urban centres.
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