Event managers involved in coordinating cultural fests are telling organisers, including students’ unions, that artistes would perform only if a certain number of seats in the venue are kept vacant and a proper security ring is in place.
The wake-up call comes within months of the chaos that had marked a college fest at Nazrul Mancha where singer Krishnakumar Kunnath — popularly known as KK — had performed before an audience three times the capacity of the venue.
KK died of heart attack shortly after the show on May 31.
The event managers this newspaper spoke to said they have been telling organisers that they would visit the venue a day before the programme to check for themselves whether the entire protocol had been followed before giving the go-ahead to the artistes invited to perform.
The must-haves include a clear intimation about the capacity of the venue and the number of passes issued, details of the medical arrangements to be in place during the programme and an update on the air-conditioning system if it’s a closed venue.
“The students’ unions of at least four colleges are in talks for shows at Nazrul Mancha and Netaji Indoor Stadium. I have asked them to first spell out what measures will be in place to ensure there is no overcrowding before starting discussions on rates,” said Tochon Ghosh, a veteran event organiser.
“Performers from Mumbai are in high demand. I have been telling the unions that unless the conditions are met, the artistes won’t sign the contract,” Ghosh said.
Event managers said November marks the onset of the season of fests and it continues for around four months. Apart from college unions, corporate houses organise cultural programmes during the period.
After KK’s death, Kolkata police issued a set of norms for programmes that makes it mandatory for the organisers to issue fewer passes than the number of seats in the venue. Besides, ambulances and doctors must be stationed outside the venue to take care of any medical emergency.
The police will ensure compliance. “We have a show scheduled with Shaan in December and with Sonu Nigam in January.
The organisers have been asked to make adequate arrangements for security and keep a certain number of seats vacant,” said Subrata Guha of Wings Musical Event.
“We will visit the venue a day before the programme to check whether the conditions have been met and inspect the security arrangements.”
The Surendranath group of colleges, for instance, issued around 10,000 passes for its fest featuring Sunidhi Chauhan and Jubin Nautiyalat Netaji Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.
The stadium’s capacity is around 15,000.
“We will have a three-tier security to ensure no one can enter without a pass,” said Indranil Kar, principal of Surendranath College.