Durga Puja Rush: Chorbagan Pandal Crowd Management Lapses, Narrow By-Lanes Trigger Chaos

A conversation highlights lapses in crowd management at the popular Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata following sudden heavy rains. Thousands of people outside rushed inside the pandal when downpours began around 7:30 pm, leading to massive congestion in the narrow by-lanes. While questions emerged regarding the pandal's dark theme, the primary cause of the chaos was identified as poor handling of entry and exit points and an inadequate deployment of volunteers despite anticipated massive footfall.