Cyclists ride through New Town to visit pandals

KOLKATA: New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) organised a unique initiative of pandal hopping in New Town by arranging 'Puja parikrama' on bicycles on Sunday, the day of Panchami. The 'parikrama' began adjacent to Biswa Bangla Gate at 8 am and ended at 11.30 am.

Most of the participants brought their own bicycles, while one or two availed the two-wheeler from the cycle-sharing scheme available in New Town. One of the participants took part in the programme on a BMW bicycle, which is a rarity in Kolkata.

About 20 participants turned up not only from New Town but also from adjacent areas. There were arrangements for prompt repair of bicycles and provision for medical assistance. The security of the cyclists was ensured through the use of a lead car with a green flag in front and another commercial vehicle at the back to prevent any accident.

"New Town is among the top five cycle friendly cities in the country. It is a part of a healthy lifestyle and clean and green mode of transport, completely pollution-free. We are promoting cycles in a big way in New Town and Durga Puja is one of the best platforms," Debashis Sen, chairman of NKDA said.