Police have decided to allot district-wise parking lots to vehicles ferrying Trinamul Congress supporters for the July 21 meeting at Esplanade.
At a meeting with party leaders on Thursday, senior police officers handed over a prototype of stickers that will have to be stuck on vehicles headed to the rally. Each sticker will bear the district name, vehicle number and driver’s name and phone number.
Vehicles reaching the city from the districts will be directed to different parking lots according to the stickers.
“We have earmarked five big parking lots, including one at the TAI ground opposite Park Street Metro station, the Ganga Sagar mela ground, the Bangabasi ground near Eden Gardens, the Hastings parking lot adjacent to the Sayed Baba Mazar and the space near BATA club,” said a police officer.
Separate parking spaces will be created to accommodate vehicles reaching the city from BT Road and EM Bypass.
Officers said stickers would help ensure that anyone from the districts lost in the crowd can be directed to a specific parking lot and the police will be able to contact drivers in case of emergency from the contact numbers on stickers.
A few lakh people are expected to attend the Trinamul Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21.
This year, the gathering could be bigger because it comes right after the rural polls.
Traditionally, the city centre is choked for most of the day on July 21 rally.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to end the programme by 3pm. The dispersal would take an hour and a half, a Trinamul leader said.
“A significant number of our party workers, like the ones from north Bengal, will head to Sealdah to take their 5pm train,” said the leader.
“The stretch of AJC Bose Road between Moulali and Mullickbazar will be open for parking on either side,” an officer said.
Senior police officers visited the proposed parking lots for an assessment of the condition on the ground. The police have asked the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to arrange drinking water and bio-toilets adjacent to the lots.
Buses headed towards Esplanade from BT Road will be parked on either side of Ahmerst Street, Strand Road and Strand Bank Road. Those coming from parts of Bhangar and Ghatakpukur will be accommodated on either side of CIT Road, the police said.
“We have sought permission from the Speaker to allow parking of vehicles of MLAs and MPs inside the Assembly. A separate arrangement is being made for parking in the Parkomat opposite Writers Buildings,” said a senior officer.
“No buses will be allowed to park on Red Road,” the officer said.