Holiday fever: City dwellers throng weekend gateways on Vivekananda's birth anniversary

Kolkata: Birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda has turned out to be a holiday for many of the city dwellers who thronged different places braving the chilly cold sweeping through the city on Friday.

Many others planned short trips after getting three consecutive holidays from Friday. Digha and Mandarmani beaches have recorded a staggering footfall on Friday with thousands of visitors from various parts of the state and outside visiting the place. After the state government gave a face lift to Digha, the seaside town has now become one of the favourite spots.

After becoming the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee had taken a series of initiatives to turn it into a major tourist destination. With an increase in the number of people visiting Digha, the economy of the area has gone up as well. The state government has constructed a walkway along the beach in Digha.

Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) has also taken up an overall civic infrastructure development of the entire area.

Tourist influx has considerably increased this weekend because of the three consecutive holidays given to many working at various government departments.

Tourist places in the city also saw a rise in visitors. Children along with their parents visited Alipore zoo despite the chilly winter spell which has been sweeping through the state.

Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and Nicco Park have also seen a rise in tourist inflow on Friday. The number is expected to go up in next two days.

Meanwhile, the regional meteorological centre in Alipore predicted that the temperature may increase by a few notches in the next few days but the cold wave may continue to sweep through the city and districts for a few more days.