This Puja, Kolkata Metro expects an increase of 10 to 15 per cent more footfalls and to help the passengers experience smooth and secure rides, the officials are taking up various measures — from increasing the frequency of trains to deploying more security personnel.

On Tuesday, a high-level meeting was held which was attended by officials of Metro railway, Railway Protection

Force (RPF), Kolkata police and Kolkata Traffic police.

“We are taking necessary security precautions for the Puja rush. We will be deploying special RPF personnel too,” said a senior Metro official.

According to metro officials, another review meeting is expected to be held in the next couple of days.

Two companies of RPF (special force) with each consisting around 120 personnel will be deployed during the Pujas. Sources claimed that RPF personnel would be armed with carbine, SLRs and AK-47.

Though at present Kolkata police have not decided to deploy any additional police forces in and around Metro stations, officials said that cameras will be fitted outside some of the stations for scanning the passengers.

To cope with more passenger flow, the Metro is also planning to run extra trains during the four days of Puja. The timings of Metro services will also be extended. On the Mahaashtami and Mahanavmi, Metro services will be available from 2 pm to 4 am. On the rest of the Puja days, the services will be extended till midnight.

Around 20 ticket counters will also be set up during this period. These counters, officials claimed, will be set up at those stations, which will attract maximum number of passengers. Temporary frisking screens will be installed for ladies at stations like Tollygunge, Dum Dum, Garia Bazar and Park Street among a few others.