West Bengal government repairs WWII-era sirens to ensure defence preparedness amid heightened security concerns
KOLKATA: Following a directive from the Union Government to assess defence preparedness, the West Bengal Government is scrambling to repair sirens installed in various locations across the state. These sirens, originally set up to alert citizens to any danger, were first installed in Kolkata during World War II. Many long-time residents remember that these sirens would regularly sound even after 1971, when Kolkata, then Calcutta, played a pivotal role in the military operations that led to the dismemberment of Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh. Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian armed forces against targets in Pakistan and Pakistanoccupied Kashmir, was followed by a meeting of all Chief Ministers with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. Following this meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed all departments to ensure “preparedness to face any situation.” She also announced that the leave of all government officers would be cancelled, and those already on leave would be required to cut short their holidays and report for work. The Union Home Ministry has also ordered mock drills to be conducted in various locations for the safety of citizens. The Indian Government has requested that war sirens be kept ready in every sensitive district. Though there are no clear guidelines yet for the police station incharge or divisional DCs on how to activate the sirens installed in police stations during emergencies, the immediate challenge is to make the vintage sirens operational. These include war sirens installed on the roofs of the Burtolla Police Station in North Kolkata and the Gariahat Police Station in South Kolkata. The war siren installed on the roof of Burtolla Police Station was last sounded in 1942, during World War II. Although a section of police officials in Lalbazar claimed that the war siren of Burtolla Police Station was sounded at 9 am on Thursday, residents living next to the police station denied hearing any alarm. The siren at Gariahat Police Station was last sounded during the 1971 war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. After that, the siren sounded every day at 9 am for the next 15 years, according to residents of the locality. Now, of course, it no longer makes any sound. Kolkata Police sources at Lalbazar recalled that former Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra had once asked for a report on the condition of air sirens in every police station. At that time, there was increased activity at every police station regarding the sirens. However, after Mitra’s retirement, the report he had requested was never prepared. As a result, the condition of the police stations with war sirens remains unknown. Pallab Malakar, a Kolkata Police officer and history aficionado, said that apart from Kolkata, war sirens were installed in all important towns and cities in West Bengal, such as Murshidabad, Malda, Darjeeling, Purulia, and even as far south as Diamond Harbour. Two sirens in Malda city, installed during World War II, have also deteriorated due to long-standing disuse. Both sirens were installed in 1939. One was installed in the present Malda Court compound, and the other was installed at the Malda Muslim Institute. Both sirens were taken for repairs on Friday. Mohammad Ataullah, one of Malda district’s leading history researchers, lives next to the Muslim Institute. Now over 80 years old, he recalls, “These two war sirens were installed in Malda city during World War II. Even now, when I close my eyes, those scenes come to mind. I still remember those days. We were also introduced to blackouts then. Lighting lamps after dusk was prohibited. It was announced that Japanese warplanes could attack at any time. The people of the city were warned by these sirens. Civil Defence personnel trained us on what to do in case of a sudden attack. These two sirens were also used to warn people during the 1971 war. Later, the sirens would sound every day at 9 am.” Bobby Ahmed, the secretary of the Malda Muslim Institute, said, “As a child, I used to hear the sound of the sirens every morning. The sound of the Muslim Institute’s siren was louder than that of the Malda Court. It was also more powerful. The sound could be heard from several kilometers away. Even in the 1980s, the two sirens would sound every day at 9 am. But now, that sound can no longer be heard. Both sirens were taken out for repairs today. Perhaps due to the situation surrounding the Indo-Pak war. It seems that in a few days, we will hear the sound of sirens again.”