Ahmedabad is all set to welcome the annual Kankaria Carnival, a vibrant week-long cultural extravaganza, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel scheduled to inaugurate the event on Thursday, December 25. Organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the carnival will run through December 31, offering a rich array of cultural programs with free entry for all visitors.
Traffic and Crowd Management Plans
Anticipating massive daily footfalls, which the AMC estimates at around 1 lakh visitors per day, the authorities have implemented comprehensive crowd and traffic control measures. A dedicated control room with CCTV surveillance has been set up to monitor the venue in real-time. Officials will keep a close watch on visitor numbers, and entry gates will be temporarily closed if the crowd exceeds safe capacity levels.
To ensure smooth traffic flow, the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner has issued a notification detailing diversions and restrictions effective until December 31. Key roads around Kankaria Lake have been declared as 'no parking' and 'no stop' zones. The entire Kankaria Lake Circle Road is a 'no U-turn' zone to prevent congestion.
Specific traffic rules include:
- Only two-wheelers are permitted to stop on the circular route connecting major points like Kankaria Chowky, Apsara Cinema, and Lohana Mahajanwadi.
- All vehicles must be parked only in designated parking areas.
- Movement of freight and passenger vehicles is restricted from 8 am to 1 am on main approach roads from areas including Danilimda, Maninagar, and Raipur Gate.
Revised Insurance Policy for Visitor Safety
In a significant move for public safety, the civic body has secured a massive insurance cover of Rs 5,000 crore for citizens in case of fire or other accidents during the carnival. However, the policy initially faced a contradiction: its terms stated coverage was only for visitors who purchased entry tickets, despite the event being free.
Following intervention by AMC officials, the insurance company agreed to revise the clause. Devang Dani, standing committee chairman, confirmed, "We made representations to the insurance company, and they amended the clause. Visitors will now receive coverage even without a ticket." This ensures all attendees are protected under the policy.
A Festival of Culture and Community
The Kankaria Carnival, a highlight of Ahmedabad's cultural calendar, promises a week filled with performances, exhibitions, and activities for families. The AMC's elaborate preparations, combining festive celebrations with stringent safety and traffic protocols, aim to provide a secure and enjoyable experience for the hundreds of thousands expected to visit the iconic Kankaria Lake front from Christmas to New Year's Eve.
