kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated several community Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata on Monday.
Among those were about 11 big-budget pandals, including 21 Pally, Gariahat Hindusthan club, Adi Ballygunge Puja, Bosepukur Sitala Mandir, Bosepukur Talbagan, 41 Pally, Ajeya Sanghati, Khidirpur 74 Pally, Khidirpur 25 Pally, Behala Nutan Dal, Barisha club. Banerjee gets at least 10,000 invitations every year from across the state to inaugurate Durga Puja pandals.
As per reports, the Chief Minister may inaugurate around 150 Durga Puja pandals physically this year, and at least 400 virtually.
She had last year inaugurated around 100 Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata.
The Durga Puja festivities this year will begin on October 1 —Sashti. However, Banerjee has been inaugurating pandals since September 22.
On Sunday, Banerjee inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal of Chetla Agragami and said the festival has twin feathers on its crown this year — Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO and Best Destination for Culture by a global organisation of travel writers.
She has urged Durga Puja committees in the state to take measures to ensure that
pedestrian and traffic movement is well regulated,
without anyone having to encounter hassle.