West Midnapore police have announced an expanded Durga Puja security and visitor-support plan, including QR codes that will provide access to local police helpline numbers, ambulance services and hospital information. The district will also deploy 20 police officers, 500 constables, Rapid Action Force personnel and women police teams during the festival.
The QR-code system is intended to help visitors quickly find emergency information in the area they are visiting. Police said scanning the code will provide details of the relevant police helpline, nearby ambulance services, hospitals and other assistance facilities. The report does not specify how many pandals will display the codes or whether the service will be available offline.
The district police will begin deploying the Durga Vahini teams from Tritiya, with additional women constables assigned to different locations. The arrangements are aimed at managing large crowds during pandal visits and preventing incidents involving women and children. Police will also conduct naka checking at 43 points across the district.
The security plan includes night patrols by 159 motorcycle teams and 65 assistance booths. Rapid Action Force personnel will be stationed in important areas, while police teams will maintain round-the-clock surveillance during the festival period. The district police have also planned 44 cyber walls as part of measures to curb cybercrime during the celebrations.
West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Papiya Sultana, Additional Superintendent of Police Uttam Ghosh and other officials inspected puja locations on Saturday to review security arrangements. The district police had released a puja guide map on Mahalaya, giving visitors information intended to support movement and access to services.
The arrangements also include facilities aimed at improving access for women. Police said bio-toilets would be placed at specified intervals and baby-feeding zones would be provided in the puja areas. These facilities address basic service needs that become more prominent when large numbers of visitors spend several hours moving between crowded pandals.
Traffic restrictions will begin in Kharagpur and Midnapore cities from Panchami. According to the superintendent of police, large vehicles will not be allowed to enter the cities after 3 pm during the puja period. The restriction is intended to support crowd and traffic management in the two urban areas, although the report does not provide details of diversion routes or the duration of the restrictions.
The police will also conduct awareness campaigns against substance abuse during the festival. The next operational milestones are the deployment of Durga Vahini teams from Tritiya, the start of traffic control measures from Panchami and the implementation of night patrols, assistance booths and naka checking across the district.
