Prayagraj: Ahead of Durga Puja and Navratri celebrations, the district administration has drawn up an elaborate security, fire-safety and crowd-management plan, making fire department clearance mandatory for all puja pandals and issuing detailed guidelines for organisers.The fire department has directed puja committees to use fire-resistant materials for constructing pandals and ensure adequate safety measures for devotees. As per the guidelines, every pandal must have at least 4.5 metres of open space around it to facilitate evacuation in case of an emergency.The norms also require pandals to be more than 3 metres high so that they remain above electric cables. The exit gate should be at least 5 metres wide, while the distance between a pandal and the main road should not exceed 45 metres.Chief fire officer Chandra Mohan told TOI: “We have asked puja pandal committees to hire licensed contractors for lighting arrangements. There should be at least two exits located opposite each other. We have also directed organisers to ensure emergency lighting and refrain from holding firecracker shows in and around pandals.”He said every pandal must be equipped with at least two advanced fire extinguishers and adequate water storage facilities.The CFO added that eight teams are being constituted to conduct regular inspections of pandals in Civil Lines, Naini, Bara, Meja, Koraon, Handia, Phulpur and Soraon.Alongside the fire-safety plan, police have prepared separate arrangements for crowd control and emergency response, particularly during peak evening hours.Senior police officers have advised puja committees to deploy additional volunteers to manage crowds, especially between 7pm and 2am. Volunteers will work in shifts to ensure uninterrupted monitoring. Major pandals will remain under close police surveillance, with trained volunteers assisting security personnel in handling emergencies such as overcrowding, confusion or fire incidents.The administration is also planning to use drone cameras to assess crowd strength and monitor security arrangements at major pandals.Officials said all police personnel and volunteers would be briefed about their specific roles and responsibilities. “We are focused on security arrangements and are coordinating with the committees,” a senior police officer said.Police stations concerned will remain in constant touch with committee members regarding security measures. Installation of CCTV cameras has been made mandatory, while additional police personnel will be deployed to regulate crowd movement.Puja committees have also been instructed to ensure adequate lighting inside and outside pandals during the festivities.A senior police officer said: “Around 100 to 150 small and large puja pandals are expected to come up across the city, and security arrangements will be reviewed regularly.”District magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has directed all sub-divisional magistrates and police officials to conduct joint inspections and pay special attention to sensitive areas. He also instructed health department officials to ensure the availability of ambulances and medical teams and asked Prayagraj Municipal Corporation to take necessary steps to capture stray animals during the festival period.
