Kolkata: Special lighting installations and a separate gallery for foreign delegates are among the arrangements for West Bengal government’s grand immersion carnival, which would showcase this year’s award-winning Durga idols at a rally on Red Road.
The second edition of the carnival, with around 70 famous Durga idols that will be displayed on well-decorated trucks, is scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
Besides chief minister Mamata Banerjee, other senior officials of the state government and foreign consulates, foreign tourists and visiting delegates from different countries for the FIFA Under-17 Football World Cup are scheduled to participate in the event. In a tweet, Ms Banerjee invited people to come and witness the carnival.
Wooden galleries decorated with posters of ‘Pujor Bisarjon — Bishes Sovajatra 2017’, have been set up on both sides of Red Road. Expecting a high turnout from other states and the city, a separate gallery has been made for foreign tourists and delegates.
“Rain had hampered our preparations in the last few days, but we have managed to complete the work for the carnival. Stage is ready and we are busy with the final touches,” a senior state government official, supervising the work for the carnival, said.
This year, special emphasis has been given to the lighting arrangements in and around Red Road to highlight the different projects of the Mamata Banerjee-government, including ‘Kanyasree’, ‘Sabuj Sathi’, ‘Khadya Sathi’ and ‘Shishu Sathi’.
Special lighting installations from Chandannagar, renowned for its lighting works, would be put up at the venue. “We hope that the most attractive part of this year’s carnival will be the lighting. Arrangements of special lightings have been made near the podium meant for VVIPs,” the official said.
On the security measures at the venue, a senior officer of Kolkata police said elaborate arrangements have been made keeping in mind the presence of the VVIPs.
“Senior officials will be present at the venue. Special team of police personnel will be there for the security of the VVIPs,” the officer said. A close watch will be kept on the movements of vehicles in the adjoining areas of Red Road from two nearby towers erected for the purpose, he added.
“We will not be allowing more than 50 representatives from each Durga Puja committee along with the idol. Since there are a lot of Pujas, we cannot allow unlimited number of people with each idol,” he said. The idols will be taken for immersion after the roadshow.
