Kolkata: The Kolkata Police has successfully controlled pedestrian movement and ensured smooth vehicular movement along the Park Street throughout Tuesday night.
On New Year’s Eve, about 2500 police personnel, including traffic cops, were deployed in and around the Park Street area to execute the same to the best extent possible. Despite a chilly evening, an enthusiastic crowd began gathering at Park Street at 9 pm. However, police did not allow the crowd to come on the road and restricted them to pavements. Up to the crossing of Wood Street, police had blocked all the points from where the crowd could pour onto the road blocking vehicular movement. Police had also turned the entire Park Street as ‘no parking zone’. Due to the strict police vigil, the crowd coming from Mirza Ghalib Street or Saint Thomas Church never got a chance to cross the road. As a result, there was no traffic jam. Police also ensured that no motorist stops on Park Street to click pictures of the festive lighting. Even though the crowd coming by bus or metro entered Park Street from J. L. Nehru Road, nobody was allowed to return to the same area. The entire crowd was sent towards Camac Street for exit.
However, a section of people alleged that they faced trouble while reaching the restaurants on Park Street as police did not allow any car to stop for pick-up and drop.
Some people complained that while returning they had to walk a long way to Camac Street and then go to the metro station through other roads to reach J. L. Nehru Road.