KOLKATA: As many as 38 cars raced through Kolkata on Sunday night, creating an exciting adventure for car enthusiasts. Titled, ‘A Night Out in Kolkata’, the rally was organised by Automobile Association of Eastern India and Kolkata Automotive Sports Association (KASA) and started from Calcutta Rowing Club around 6.30 pm.
It was also the finishing point. Chandan Roychowdhury, secretary, Calcutta Rowing Club, was happy with the initiative. Praising the event,
he said Kolkata hadn’t seen a night rally like this in over two decades.
The event featured teams divided into three categories: experts, amateurs, and club entries. Each car had two occupants, a navigator, and a driver. The cars had to cover a route of approximately 45 km, which included areas like Ballygunge Circular Road, Dhakuria, Southern Avenue, Jadavpur connector, Mayo Road, Alipore, Hastings, Babughat, Park Street, EM Bypass, and various other places.
Control points were strategically placed along the route to monitor whether the cars arrived on schedule. Any car that arrived either late or early incurred penalties. Therefore, both drivers and navigators had to work in tandem and ensure their vehicle reached the point on time.
Debasish Bhattacharjee, the secretary of KASA, emphasised the crucial role of a navigator in a night car rally. According to him, during nighttime racing, the driver might face visibility challenges, making the navigator’s role essential.