Culture, devotion & festive spirit to mark Siliguri Carnival on Saturday
Siliguri: The Durga Puja Carnival is set to take place in Siliguri on October 4, with colorful lights, decoration, cultural performances and festive fervor spreading across the city. Organised by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), 12 puja committees including the I&CA (Information and Cultural Affairs) department of the state government will participate in the event.
On Friday, Mayor Gautam Deb visited Mahatma Gandhi More, popularly known as Airview More, to inspect the arrangements. Following the inspection, he chaired a meeting with administrative officials at the SMC office to review the plans. Issues related to safety, traffic management, and possible rain disruptions were discussed in detail.
“This carnival has now become an emotion for the people of Siliguri. Every year thousands of people gather to watch the celebrations. We are making sure the event runs smoothly, maintaining peace and order,” said Deb. The carnival will begin at 5 pm and continue for nearly five hours. For the first time, an evening Aarti will be performed at the Mahananda River Ghat. Each participating committee will have 10–15 minutes to showcase their tableau and performances before proceeding for immersion rituals.
Local artists have started decorating Mahatma Gandhi More with Alpana designs and colorful cutouts. Special seating arrangements will be made for invited guests near the main stage, while LED screens will be installed at Hashmi Chowk, Sevoke More, and Airview More to help spectators view the event. Tableau will move from Bidhan Road through Hashmi Chowk to Airview More, where the main displays will take place. During that, traffic restrictions will be enforced, with movement closed on parts of Bidhan Road leading to Airview More on Hill Cart Road.
To ensure public safety, additional police forces will be deployed, with senior officials including the Police Commissioner monitoring the event. Around 100 Civil Defense volunteers and 125 NCC cadets will assist in crowd management. The fire brigade, electricity department, health workers and the disaster response team will remain on standby. CCTV cameras will be installed. Portable bio-toilets will also be available for women’s convenience.
