Chorbagan Sarbojonin exit gate on Friday
The Saptami stampede that claimed 19 lives has left neighbourhood residents shaken, with many saying that the puja must be planned differently to ensure that neither residents nor visitors are exposed to such risks again. Kolkata: Residents living around the Chorbagan puja premises want the celebrations to return next year, but in a smaller scale, with safety taking precedence over elaborate themes, competition and spectacle.
Minati Naha (79) said she hoped the neighbourhood would be able to celebrate Durga Puja again, but with greater restraint. I am 79.
My father called and told me not to return to the neighbourhood as the situation was very bad. If necessary, the celebrations should be scaled down, but they must be conducted safely and peacefully,” said Sovan Roy, a college student. What happened was horrific,” she said. Competition for bigger and more spectacular installations should never come at the cost of public safety,” said Ravi Barma, another local resident. Residents said the planning process itself needed a rethink, rather than relying on last-minute arrangements once crowds begin to swell.
For several residents, the question is not whether one of north Kolkata’s prominent pujas should continue, but how it should be organised. They want the devotional character of the puja preserved, even if that means cutting down on the scale of the pandal, restricting footfall and abandoning ambitious designs that could compromise crowd movement. “I had gone out to visit puja pandals. I returned two days later after staying at a friend’s place. Many of our relatives living outside Kolkata had called us. I only hope Durga Puja is held in our neighbourhood. Whatever the scale, big or small, security should be the first priority. For elderly residents, the tragedy has made the prospect of another crowded celebration particularly unsettling. “What is wrong with having a smaller puja? Residents also called for greater scrutiny of theme-based pandals by police before permissions are granted. “Organisers must be more cautious about the race to win awards.