Today’s Nabanna Abhijan Route
Details of the New Protest Route: Gatherings and Security Measures in Nabanna Abhijan, Concerns Over Potential Disruptions
Authorities are actively working to prevent the Nabanna Abhijan operation. Nearly 21,000 police officers will be deployed across Kolkata and Howrah on Tuesday. Numerous barricades have been erected along routes leading to Nabanna to control the movement of protestors.
The ‘West Bengal Students’ Society’ has called for a Nabanna Abhiyan on Tuesday to demonstrate against the RG tax scandal. Tight security measures have been implemented across various areas of Kolkata and Howrah in preparation for this operation. The student organization has scheduled the gathering to begin at 1 PM on Tuesday. The plan is to assemble at two primary locations, from where the demonstrators will head towards Nabanna.
One procession, gathering at College Square, plans to reach Nabanna via Central Avenue, Dharmatala, Eden Gardens, and Hastings. Another procession will start from Santragachi bus stand, taking the Kona Expressway route towards Nabanna.
Sion Lahiri, representing the ‘West Bengal Chhatra Samaj,’ mentioned in a press conference that the protests would begin at College Square in Kolkata and Santragachi in Howrah at 1 PM on Tuesday. From there, the protestors will march towards Nabanna. Lahiri indicated that the procession will halt wherever the police block their way. However, he admitted uncertainty regarding the number of participants and the number of vehicles expected on Tuesday.
The state police have not granted permission for Tuesday’s Nabanna raid. Reports indicate that no formal request was initially made to the police for the protest, although two emails were sent on Monday afternoon. Due to multiple concerns, the police decided not to permit the Nabanna campaign.
With the police taking active measures to halt the Nabanna operation, around 21,000 officers will be deployed throughout Kolkata and Howrah. Barricades have been placed at various points along the routes to Nabanna. Not only are the main roads blocked, but smaller alleyways have also been barricaded. Significant barricades have been set up at locations such as Santragachi, Howrah Maidan, Foreshore Road, Laxminarayantala, and Mandirtala. The streets around Nabanna are also being fortified with barricades. Water cannons and drones have been stationed as part of the security measures.
There is also a possibility that protestors will gather at Sealdah station. From there, they could proceed to College Square via Mahatma Gandhi Road. Some groups might attempt to reach Nabanna by taking Mahatma Gandhi Road and crossing the Howrah Bridge. Initially, the plan is to halt the procession at the intersection of Mahatma Gandhi Road and Strand Road, just before reaching the Howrah Bridge. To enforce this, iron guardrails and Caesar barricades have been set up. Additionally, aluminum barriers and wooden stakes are being placed at the entrance to the Howrah Bridge.
As a result of the Nabanna operation, traffic control measures have been in effect on various roads since Tuesday morning. Public transport options, such as buses and auto-rickshaws, are scarce on the streets. This has caused significant inconvenience for office-goers, who are facing long waits for buses. The few buses that are operating are overcrowded. Many commuters are opting to use the metro instead of their regular bus routes. Despite these alternatives, numerous individuals are still facing difficulties in reaching their destinations.