Safety Concerns Prompt Closure of Kadamthala Pandals Post-Chorbagan Incident

After the tragic stampede at Chorbagan that resulted in 19 fatalities, the Havda administration ordered the immediate shutdown of the passenger club’s Kadamthala Durga Puja pandal. Police officers secured the main entrance with a guard rail at 5 p.m. on Sunday, effectively halting all pilgrim traffic. The pandal’s design, titled “Kedarnath Darshan,” includes a replica of the famed Kedarnath shrine and a central idol of Goddess Durga, set against a narrow, elevated pathway. Inspection teams led by the district magistrate and supported by public works engineers concluded that the temporary structure’s wooden and bamboo framework, supplemented by brick walls, does not provide adequate resilience against heavy crowds. Consequently, the administration decided to restrict entry until a more robust construction method—preferably reinforced steel—can be employed.