The state fire and emergency services minister, Sujit Bose, announced on Monday that on December 24, 25, 30 and 31, fire tenders will be kept on stand-by mode at nine strategic sites across the city to facilitate a swift response to any possible fire emergencies.

“There will be extra safety measures against any fire hazard in the city on December 24, 25, 30 and 31 from 4pm to 8am. Nine fire tenders will be placed at strategic locations across the city on these four days. Also, there would be 14 motorcycle patrols on behalf of the fire department on these days,” Bose said.

The fire tenders will be kept at Allen Park, Park Circus Seven Point Crossing, Kasba near Gitanjali Stadium, near Jadavpur police station, near Tollygunge Metro station, near Garia Metro station, near the Hazra crossing, Sealdah Railway Station, Bow Barracks, near Bypass Dhaba on EM Bypass and at the Belgachia crossing.

The minister added that this festive season, firecrackers will not be allowed on rooftop restaurants during Christmas and New Year parties, keeping in mind the fire hazard they may cause.

A few weeks ago, a fire broke out in a Goa nightclub, claiming 25 lives. The cause is suspected to be electric firecrackers that hit the wooden ceiling.

Sources in the fire department said this festive season, they did not want to leave anything to chance.

Park Street, a popular destination for many Calcuttans to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, has been under police surveillance since Sunday.

More than 1,500 police officers have been assigned to Park Street to manage crime and uphold law and order.

“We have plain clothes officers from the detective department and also uniformed men fanned across Park Street. Traffic cops will try their best to keep the traffic moving unless the situation becomes difficult for vehicles to move,” said a Kolkata Police officer.

A senior officer from the traffic department said that if the surge of pedestrians visiting Park Street becomes too large, guardrails will be used to create channels to separate pedestrian movement from vehicular movement.

“Vehicular traffic will be closed only if there is no other option left,” said the officer.

There was no formal notification of any traffic restrictions on Park Street till Monday evening.

Watchtowers have been erected along Park Street, while some high-rise buildings are being used as watchtowers to keep an eye on roads.

Bose said that a fire station will be inaugurated in January, while there was a plan to add 30 more fire stations across the state, out of which the work on 10 will start soon.