Tourism dept cuts down Puja tour packages to 3

Kolkata: Amid the pandemic the state Tourism department has drastically cut down its Puja tour packages this year.

There will be only three packages and visitors will be taken on a day tour of the different well-known community Pujas in the city.

There will be no pandal hopping at night and most importantly there will be no tour of the noted Pujas in the districts as in previous years. The household Pujas in Kolkata has also been excluded from the itenary.

The Udbodhoni Sarodatsav package will be available on three days Oct 20, 21 and 22.

On each of the days, an AC bus will start from Tourism office at BBD Bag at 9 am and will visit the Puja pandals at College

Square, Md. Ali Park, Kashi Bose Lane. Bagbazar Sarbojonin, Badamtala Ashar Sangha, 66 Palli, Mudiali, Shibmandir, Ekdalia Evergreen, Singhi Park, Hindustan Road, Rajdanga Nabauday Sangha and will travel back to the starting point at 3.30 pm.

The second package titled Uttara will take puja revelers to a number of puja pandals in North Kolkata like

College Square, Md. Ali Park, Kashi Bose Lane, Bagbazar Sarbojonin, Kumartuli Park, Ahritola, Pathuriaghata Pancher Pally, Rabindra Kanan, Telengabagan, Maniktala, Chaltabagan, Rammohan Smriti Sangha.

This package will be available on 23,24 and 25 October. The timing each day will be from 9 am to 3.30 pm.

The third one titled Dakshini will tour different Pujas in South Kolkata that includes Adi Ballygunge Sarbojonin, Ekdalia Evergreen, Singhi Park, Hindustan Road, Hindustan Park, Deshapriya Park, Badamtala Ashar Sangha, 66 Palli, Mudiali, Shibmandir and Chetla Agrani.

This package will be available on 23,24 and 25 October and the timings will be the same. Breakfast and lunch will be served during the tour and the total cost will be Rs 2,200 for each tourist.

The seating arrangements will be in adherence to Covid protocols.

Last year 13 Puja packages were organised by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (WBTDCL) which included visit to some old Pujas in districts like Hooghly, Birbhum.

There were two packages associated with Rarbanga puja, immersion trip on cruise, packages related to night pandal hopping. All these have been excluded this year.

"A number of people will be enjoying themselves in their respective community puja and not venture out for pandal hopping amidst the Corona pandemic. So we have kept only a handful of packages this year," said a senior official of WBTDCL.