{
  "id": 15414338,
  "title": "Suvendu hints at scrapping VIP gates at Puja pandals",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/suvendu-hints-at-scrapping-vip-gates-at-puja-pandals",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-18T12:53:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/west-bengal-cm-proposes-ban-on-vip-gates-at-durga-puja-pandal-after-tragic-kolkata-stampede/articleshow/135029056.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has hinted at scrapping VIP gates at Durga puja pandals, following a tragic stampede that claimed 19 lives and injured 25 others in north Kolkata. The issue was brought to the forefront after a night of discussions between pandal committees and government officials. Adhikari emphasized the need for clear entry and exit provisions, as VIP pandal hoppers often bypass regular rush hours, causing congestion and causing the tragedy. The VIP gate practice, which involves special passes and premium access, has been a controversial issue. Following the incident, Adhikari announced a toned-down Bijoya Sammelani event and formed a special team to inspect safety arrangements and crowd management guidelines at major Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata. The team, headed by the state disaster management department secretary, Fire Services DG Anuj Sharma, and Special Task Force ADG Javed Shamim, will also discuss measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future. Adhikari assured that the team would regularly monitor crowd movement and interact with pandal committees to ensure adherence to crowd management guidelines. He also expressed regret over the lack of police assistance during the stampede, stating that the force would be given a clean chit in the investigation.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}