Kolkata: Cops have barred public access to a 50 ft hill-like structure at a Barasat Kali Puja pandal on safety grounds, following lessons learnt from the Chorbagan Durga Puja tragedy. However, despite the SP’s instructions, visitors were allegedly allowed inside during inauguration on Saturday. Cops intervened and stopped public entry again on Sunday. The organisers have threatened to suspend the puja in protest against the restrictions.Ashoknagar Sanghashree Club in Barasat’s Ashoknagar has created a pandal modelled on Adiyogi hill in Tamil Nadu, featuring a Shiva statue atop a hill-like structure, with the Kali idol placed beneath it. The organisers had planned to allow visitors to climb the hill to enter the pandal.“On the eve of Kali Puja, SP J Marcy inspected the pandal and made it clear that visitors would not be allowed to enter in this manner,” an officer said.According to cops, the SP had said the entry and exit routes were not wide enough and that the height of the structure posed safety concerns. “According to information provided by the organisers’ structural engineer, the structure could accommodate a maximum of 20 people at a time. After excluding security personnel and club members, only around 10 visitors could be allowed inside at any given time. The police felt that such limited capacity would make it impossible to manage the expected crowds,” the officer added.The SP said public entry had been prohibited but visitors could view the idol from the ground. He clarified there had been no order to stop the puja or the fair.Tapas Pal, representing the puja committee, said the main attraction of the pandal was the opportunity for visitors to climb the structure. “If visitors are not allowed to climb the hill, we will be compelled to call off the puja,” Pal warned.
