Stories
Durga Puja 2026: Strict Safety SOP Issued With CCTV And Drone Surveillance At Ghats
- •Learning from past accidents, the administration has strengthened security arrangements at idol immersion ghats.
- •Plans are underway to install four to ten CCTV cameras at entry points and immersion sites for strict surveillance.
- •A Standard Operating Procedure has been sent to districts including Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and Darjeeling.
- •Bamboo barricades will be constructed in dangerous areas and entering the river for idol immersions has been strictly banned.
Key Questions Answered
The administration has mandated designated immersion ghats and introduced surveillance via CCTV cameras and drones, with four to ten cameras installed depending on ghat size and conditions. Additionally, bamboo barricades are constructed in dangerous zones, and entering the river for idol immersions is strictly banned.
Extra precautions are being taken to prevent a repeat of the 2022 tragedy when eight people died in a flash flood during idol immersions in the Mal River. Special attention is also given to weather forecasts due to flash flood risks across various rivers in the Dooars following a disaster in Sikkim.
A Standard Operating Procedure has been sent to effectively implement security measures in the districts of Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and Darjeeling. These security arrangements remain in effect for Durga Puja, Kali Puja, and Chhath Puja immersions.
