Dhanbad residents can pin hope on the district police's initiatives for a safe and hassle-free Durga Puja this time.

On Tuesday, the district police asked over 200 Puja committees to make arrangements for iron and bamboo barricades near the pandals for effective crowd management and keep an ambulance on stand-by to meet exigencies.

These were among a host of guidelines issued by SSP Manoj Ratan Chothe to officers-in-charge of all the 55 thanas and outposts in the district.

The checklist will be delivered to the Puja committees in a day or two by local police stations.

Apart from the mandatory installation of fire extinguishers, arrangement of separate make-shift toilets for men and women near the pandals and installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, the organisers have also been asked to create entry and exit gates for the convenience of pandal-hoppers.

"The Puja organisers must make sure that the fire extinguishers at the pandals have not crossed the expiry date," said DSP law and order Dhirendra Narayan Banka.

Organisers have also been asked to arrange for adequate number of Puja volunteers to manage the crowd.

"The volunteers should not be drunk. They must have ID cards and proper uniform so that revellers can easily identify them to seek any help," said Banka.

This apart, the committees have been directed to have a public announcement system in order to issue any important instruction and ensure drinking water and first-aid kits are in place.

"Proper lighting arrangements should be made within the pandals as well as on their front and rear sides," said the DSP, adding that the certificate for lighting should be obtained from Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL).

Banka maintained that organisers must also ensure uninterrupted power supply at pandals.

"They must also check that no naked wires are present in the pandals and that the cables are properly taped," he added.