Kolkata gears up for Red Road Puja carnival

KOLKATA: Kolkata is gearing up for the Red Road Durga Puja carnival where the best of the pujas will strut down the iconic Red Road accompanied by musical and cultural performances.
Idols and tableaux from 75 pujas will move down Red Road on Tuesday evening and regale guests in the audience which will comprise of foreign delegates, bureaucrats, industrialists and ministers. Several thousand people from all across the state converge on Red Road will have a look at the best pujas of the year. The display is accompanied by several musical and dance performances along with small skits.



The carnival is expected to continue beyond the usual three hours as the number of participating pujas has gone up to 75. Some of the prominent pujas which will show up on Red Road are Ballygunge Cultural Association, Ekdalia Evergreen, Suruchi Sangha and Chetla Agrani.

Vehicles carrying idols have been provided space on Kidderpore Road to wait for their turn. Several dais are being constructed to seat chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other guests. Seating arrangements have been made for over 15,000 people. Those who cannot make it to Red Road owing to heavy rush will be able to watch the proceedings live on big screens on Rani Rashmoni Avenue, Governor East Place, Mayo Road and Park Street.



Several traffic restrictions will come into effect in and around Red Road from Monday midnight onwards. Red Road and other roads leading to Red Road will be closed to vehicles. Traffic will be diverted through Strand Road, Auckland Row, Lenin Sarani and SN Banerjee Road.

Elaborate police arrangements have also been made to prevent any untoward incident. Police have erected watch towers to keep vigil and quick response teams will be stationed at vantage points.