kolkata: The state Transport department has plans on introducing an AC tram route from Gariahat to Shyambazar via Esplanade during three days of Durga Puja with an aim to give them a tour of the popular Puja pandals enroute.
It will cost Rs 600 per person and tour popular Pujas including Ekdalia, Singhi Park, Hatibagan Sarbojanin, among others. The trams will depart at 10 am and will be plied on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. People will be able to make bookings through the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) portal and also contact various depots and the state Transport department’s office for details.
Minister Snehasis Chakraborty on Friday announced special packages for the people visiting the city and suburban areas for sightseeing the popular Pujas. The online booking for packages under ‘Puja Parikrama’ will start from September 19. He said that for the first time they are thinking of introducing pre-Puja sightseeing packages keeping in mind people who want to visit pandals but are unable to do so considering the crowd and traffic problems. This package may also cater to foreigners.
“Discussions are going on. Four-five days before Mahalaya, when the pandals have completed but there is hardly any rush, we were thinking of introducing packages for people during that time,” the minister said.
Like last year, buses will be plied overnight during Puja and shopping special services from Howrah, Kolkata and Sealdah Stations to markets will be plied.
“Puja Parikrama, like last year, has various packages for people wanting to visit popular Puja pandals in the city as well as suburbs. It will take place on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. Visitors will need to bring any identity card,” WBTC MD Rajanvir Singh Kapur said. Waterway packages will also be introduced to visit North Kolkata Pujas.