kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday—eve of Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Years Day)—visited Kalighat temple to offer puja and prayed for peace and welfare of the people of Bengal.
Banerjee took stock of the progress of work of the skywalk being built at Kalighat before entering into the temple for offering puja.
"We have taken up a major rejuvenation of the Kalighat temple and its surroundings. A skywalk has already come up at Dakshineshwar and now we are constructing a skywalk in Kalighat by spending Rs 300 crore.
The hawkers have been shifted to Hazra Park nearby to facilitate the construction work. However, they will be rehabilitated once the project is complete. Not a single hawker will be deprived," Banerjee said.
She added that every year she visits the temple on the eve of Poila Baisakh and prays for the well being of the people of the state irrespective of their caste and creed.
"I attend the namaz at Red Road, the Christmas prayer at St. Pauls Cathedral and also the Sikh Gurudwara before their major festivals. I will continue to visit the temple on this day till my last breath and will pray to god for peace and harmony," she added. Banerjee wished the people of the state Happy Poila Baisakh before leaving the temple.
It may be mentioned that Banerjee had visited the Kalighat temple on a wheelchair last year after sustaining severe injury on her leg.
A few hours after Banerjee's visit, Mayor Firhad Hakim inaugurated a light and sound show at Kalighat temple. Local MLA Debasish Kumar was also present at the event.