Pouring crowds, traffic jams on Mahasasthi prompt post-Puja COVID-19 outbreak fear

Kolkata has seen people flocking on the streets to enjoy festive mode by denouncing the covid protocols.

KOLKATA:Indications were there since Saturday evening about fearless Kolkatans crowding the streets of Kolkata to enjoy the Durga Puja festive mood. On Monday, the day of Mahasasthi, the fear came true as lakhs of people poured out on the streets of City of Joy to enjoy the festive mood in full swing.

The results were inevitable --- crowded street corners, traffic jams and most importantly the fear of a resurgence of the post-Puja COVID-19 outbreak. Worst of all, several people did not care about the basic protocols of using masks and sanitisers while being on the streets.

Although armed with the Calcutta High Court order of the authority of taking strong action against those breaching the COVID-19 protocols, the police personnel deployed on the streets appeared helpless considering the wave of crowds breaching these protocols. The main crowds were concentrated in areas like Behala, Rashbeahri, Hazra Crossing and Gariahat in South Kolkata and Shyambazar, Maniktala, Sovabazar, Kashi Bose Lane and Maniktala in North Kolkata.

A top city police official, on strict condition of anonymity, said that their attempts to apprehend people without masks often lead to unpleasant incidents, following which often the police had to show restraint.

“The people not wearing masks have some typical replies. Some say that using masks leads to breathing problems. Some over-enthusiastic ones argue why he or she is being singled out when a lot of other people are doing the same. What can be done in front of such meaningless arguments, when maintaining law & order situation during the prime task is maintaining law & order during the festive days,” he said.

The joint commissioner (headquarter) of Kolkata Police, Suvankar Sinha Sarkar said that the police is taking action as and when necessary. “We are even providing masks to people not using them. Apart from that, we are taking action as per legal provisions,” he said.