Many people across the city on Saturday tried to come out on the roads sneaking through the barricades that police had installed a day before to keep them off the thoroughfares.

Combat force personnel were deployed in many of these locations later in the afternoon to ensure no one stepped out.

The barricades, however, visibly reduced traffic on the roads on Saturday.

Metro spotted breaches at some of the locations that had been sealed on Friday to prevent movement of pedestrians and vehicles on the thoroughfares.

Narkeldanga, Chetla Hat Road, Belgachhia and Rajabazar were some of the places where barricades were moved and displaced for making way for pedestrians.

However, at places such as VIP Bazar, Picnic Garden and Bhowanipore’s Puddapukur, the police vigil had prevented people from violating the lockdown.

“We are not allowing any vehicle to pass through unless it is related to emergency services,” said an officer posted at VIP Bazaar, while allowing a car carrying a doctor going to work to pass.

Similarly, a motorcyclist who claimed to be a civic body employee but could not produce any document supporting his claim was not allowed inside Puddapukur despite repeated requests. Residents had teamed up in Puddapukur to guard the barricades, along with cops from Bhowanipore police station.

Violations were visible near Narkeldanga and Rajabazar as people were seen coming out through narrow gaps between two guardrails. On some stretches such as Chetla Hat Road, a guardrail was moved off the carriageway to ensure free movement of pedestrians.

“Barricading was only a part of the implementation plan. Combat forces were deployed today at sensitive locations, from where (Covid-19) cases or a large number of lockdown violations have been reported,” said a senior officer at Lalbazar.

Each of the nine divisions were given six to eight combat force personnel for route marches and deployment in the areas considered “sensitive”.

The combat battalion of the Calcutta police specialises in securing “vulnerable assets” and manning the 13 quick response teams. Vulnerable assets include sensitive areas such as New Market and Park Street and sensitive points such as vital installations.

However, unlike their normal duty protocol, the combat personnel, who are trained in manual combat and have the strength to counter multiple opponents, are being deployed without firearms.

“Their presence on the roads is meant to create mental blockade in the minds of the people. Residents would think twice before stepping out on the road if they see that some men with batons in hand are standing right outside. It would be a deterrent,” an officer said.

The combat forces marched through pockets of Park Circus, Ripon Street, Panchasayar, stretches in the Port area and pockets of the eastern suburban division.

Sources at Lalbazar said extra deployment was made at 56 market areas in the city that attract maximum crowds during the day. Drones were used to monitor densely populated areas.

Calcutta police commissioner Anuj Sharma and other senior officers of the force visited Garden Reach police station on Saturday, a day after a senior officer posted there tested positive for Covid-19.