Kochi: The district authorities have made a detailed plan to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the New Year celebrations in Fort Kochi as part of the Cochin Carnival. The authorities on Friday released a disaster management plan, including traffic regulations and crowd control measures. Extra caution has been employed this year to chalk out the safety measures as thousands who attended the celebrations had a miraculous escape from a near-stampede last year.
A major step taken by the police this time is to divide the Fort Kochi Parade Ground, where thousands gather for celebrations, into several segments in a bid to manage the crowd effectively. The police estimate is that the ground can accomodate a maximum of 40,000 pople only. Around 1,000 police personnel, including 10 assistant commissioners and 25 circle inspectors, will be deployed to manage the situation.
Kochi Corporation Mayor M Anilkumar, Hibi Eden MP, K J Maxy MLA, Fort Kochi Sub Collector K Meera, Deputy Collector Usha Bindu Mol and Mattancherry Assistant Police Commissioner K R Manoj informed about the arrangements at a press conference here on Friday.
Traffic curbs
On December 31, only till 4 pm vehicles will be allowed to be transported from Vypeen to Fort Kochi via Ro-Ro Jhangar. After that only people will be allowed from Vypeen to Fort Kochi on Jhangar till 7 pm. There will be no Ro-Ro Jhankar service and boat service to Fort Kochi after 7 pm. Service to Vypeen will continue. After 12 am, there will be boat services from Fort Kochi to Vypeen.
In case of crowding in Fort Kochi, vehicles will be stopped at Swift Junction, Thoppumpadi BOT Bridge, Kannangatt, Edakochi, Kumbalangi-Pazhangad and Kandakadav before 4 pm.
Private/KSRTC buses from places like Ernakulam, Edakochi and Thoppumpadi to Fort Kochi should conduct service via BOT Thoppumpady - Kalthummutt - Paravana - Pallathuraman - Veli route till Fort Kochi bus stand and return via Kunnumpuram-Amaravati route until Fort Kochi is crowded.
Once Fort Kochi is overcrowded, private/KSRTC buses have to terminate service at the temporary bus stand set up at the Cochin College Ground. Those returning from Fort Kochi can reach Cochin College Ground and from there take a bus back to Thoppumpady and Ernakulam.
Buses terminating service at Cochin College ground should return to Thoppumpady and Ernakulam via Pandickudy-Statue Junction-Kumar Pump Junction-Parippu Junction route. After midnight bus service will be available from Cochin College Ground to the city. On December 31, vehicles will be blocked at the following spots:
BOT, Swift Junction, BOT West Junction (Near Court), Edakochi Kannangat Bridge East Side, Pashnithod Bridge, Kumbalangi Pazhangad Junction, Kandakkadav, Pappangamukku, Jubilee Junction, Mantra Bridge, Pallathuraman Junction, Veli West Dronacharya Road, Veli West KB Jacob Road.
Vehicle parking
Vehicles of Fort Kochi residents usually parked on road side should be parked at Fort Kochi St Paul's School Grounds and Fort Kochi Delta School Grounds (South Gate). Also, the vehicles of those staying in hotels, home stays etc should be shifted to parking grounds.
The list of places identified for parking of vehicles arriving at Fort Kochi:
Aspinwall Cabral Ground, Aspinwall Ground, St Paul's School Ground, Delta School Ground, Oceanus East Side Ground, Bishop Housefront, Dronacharya Main Gate to North Side, Dronacharya main gate to south side up to Odatha, Veli School Ground, Pallathuraman Ground, East side of the road south of Kempiri Junction (Convent Road), East side of road north of Kempiri Junction (Ajanta Road), West side of the road from Koovapadam to Parippu Junction, Cochin College Ground, TD School Ground, Aasia Bhai School Ground, Pasayannur temple Ground, MMOVHS Ground, Corporation Ground (near Kanoos Theatre), Ground opposite Chicking, Ground owned by CC group of South Moolamkuzhi, Vacant plot at Thoppumpady Junction, Thoppumpady Corporation Stadium Ground.
The testing ground of the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Coast Guard site on the east side of the BOT bridge can also be used for parking. Willingdon Island can be used for parking too.
As and when parking grounds at Fort Kochi are filled up, vehicles will be diverted from the blocking points at Veli to the grounds in Mattancherry and Thoppumpady police station boundaries. Those who park their vehicles there can board buses and go to Fort Kochi.
In case of crowding at Fort Kochi, vehicles will be diverted from BOT East Junction, Swift Junction, BOT West Junction (Near Court), Edakochi Bridge, Kannangattu Bridge East, Pashnithodu Bridge, Kumbalangi Pazhangad Junction, Kandakadav, Pappangamukku, Jubilee Junction, Mantrapalam, Pallathuraman junction, Veli West Dronacharya Road and Veli West K B Jacob Road. Private/KSRTC buses will run special services for people going back after midnight.
Additional notice/sign boards regarding parking of vehicles and emergency route will be installed at all important places. Unauthorised parking on road side will not be allowed.
Emergency route
The following routes are marked for emergency/ambulance services.
Parade Ground-Vasco Square-Chariot Junction-Tower Road Junction-St Paul's School-Fort Kochi Taluk Hospital-Aspin Wall- Calvathy Bazaar Road-Jew Town, Thoppumpady.
Parade Ground-Quiros Street-Rampart Street-Basilica Junction- Kunnumpurum West-Fort Kochi Hospital-Kunnumpurum East-Pullu Bridge-New Road-Bazar Road-Jew Town, Thoppumpady.
Control room
A control room consisting of officers from all departments concerned will work alongside the Police VHF Control Unit for the smooth conduct of the carnival celebrations.
Crowd control measures
The following arrangements will be made for crowd control and security in and around Fort Kochi.
The interior of the Parade Ground will be heavily barricaded into four segments and separate entry and exit points will be provided for each segment. Police personnel will be deployed between each segment.
The rest of the fencing will be strengthened by placing maximum exits on the boundaries of the grounds. LED exit points will be installed at all exit points. Two watch towers will be installed at the Parade Ground to monitor the crowd situation. A strong double-layer barricade will be erected around the Pappanji burning site.
A public address system will be installed at Kamalakadavu South Beach, Veli Ground and Vasco Square to provide necessary safety precautions to the public.
Action will be taken to prevent power outage. Power generator or ASKA light will be operated immediately in case of power failure.
Adequate CCTV cameras will be installed at all important places where people congregate. A special area for foreigners will be barricaded on the Parade Ground. Barricades will be placed around the ground to prevent overcrowding. Barricades will be put up to create segments to control the crowd situation in order to prevent the possible rush at Kamalakadavu.
ASKA lights will be installed at Parade Ground, Veli Junction, Kamalakadav, Vasco Square and Beach Area.
Before midnight, all barricades will be removed and restrictions will be lifted to facilitate outward movement.
In case of heavy traffic, vehicles will be diverted at places marked as diversion/blocking points outside Fort Kochi.
The barricades around the Parade Ground will be removed at 12 am to facilitate the exit. A special police evacuation team will be deployed.
Other police arrangements
Cops including female officers in civil dress will be deployed to prevent crimes against women, chain snatching and theft.
Strict police check will be conducted in West Kochi from December 31 morning to detect those who drive under the influence of alcohol and those involved in crimes. There will be round-the-clock boat patrolling by the Coastal Police. A separate police control room will also be functioning adjacent to the Fort Kochi police station.
General instructions
From 2 pm till the end of the carnival, the services of medical teams including doctors will be ensured to provide necessary medical attention to those in need.
Ambulance facilities with health personnel will be available at Veli Ground, Vasco Square and Kamalakadavu on all four sides of the Parade Ground. Private hospitals in nearby areas will also provide round-the-clock services of doctors. A water ambulance service of the Fisheries Department will also be ready.
A temporary hospital will be set up in the Jail of Freedom Struggle building near Parade Ground in collaboration with Kochi Aster Medcity.
Police personnel with very high frequency sets will be present at Fort Kochi Taluk Hospital and with other medical teams.
Necessary fire force vehicle facility, scuba team and boat patrolling will be provided at the Parade Ground and carnival venue.