Bokaro: More than 100 grand Durga Puja pandals recreating famous temples and historical monuments have transformed Bokaro district ahead of celebrations expected to draw thousands of devotees and visitors.Puja committees have invested heavily in thematic pandals, elaborate decorations and intricately crafted idols of Goddess Durga. Themed lighting, colourful facades and artistic installations have turned several neighbourhoods into major festival attractions.Bokaro police has stepped up preparations for crowd management, public safety and emergency response. A mock drill at police lines rehearsed rapid intervention, crowd control and responses to potentially volatile situations in packed areas.SSP Vedant Shankar said such exercises were part of regular preparedness measures and helped personnel respond swiftly and effectively during major public gatherings.DC Ajay Nath Jha and SP Nathu Singh Meena inspected Puja pandals and fairgrounds in Bokaro Steel City, reviewing fire safety, electrical installations, structural stability and law-and-order arrangements.Jha directed puja committees to comply fully with prescribed safety standards, stressing devotees’ safety and convenience as the administration’s top priority.Meena said adequate police deployment and surveillance were being arranged, especially at sensitive and crowded locations, with control rooms monitoring developments and coordinating responses.
