New ghat to come up adjacent to Takta Ghat to facilitate devotees during Chhath Puja

Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will seek permission from the Navy, Railways and Kolkata Port Trust, for constructing a ghat just adjacent to the existing Takta Ghat, to facilitate the celebration of Chhath Puja.

"We have witnessed that the available space at Takta Ghat under Hastings police station area was crammed and devotees faced a lot of difficulty during Chhath Puja this year. But the maintenance of the ghat is under Kolkata Port Trust. There are some legal complications involved, which we have to face for coming up with another ghat adjacent to the one there," Member, Mayor-in-Council (Parks & Gardens) Debasish Kumar said.

The response from Kumar at the monthly meeting of KMC came after Left councillor Bilquis Begum highlighted various difficulties faced by the devotees in carrying out Chhath rituals at the ghat.

"The Defence people had put up an iron railing and the Railways have erected a pole that has made the entry and exit gates very narrow. The ghat has become so steep and slippery that an accident can occur anytime," Begum pointed out.

"If we have to make this new ghat adjacent to Takta Ghat, permission is required from KoPT, Railways and the Marine House, as the naval headquarter is located in the area," Kumar said.

Chaath Puja is performed there every year with due permission from Defence, Railways, the Hastings police station, KoPT and other stakeholders.

Begum, who is the local councillor, later said: "There is a place adjacent to it, which is now covered with shrubs and bushes. We want KMC to clear that place and renovate it with stairs, making it easy and safe for the people who access the ghat, especially women."