Govt set to take foreign visitors on tour of famous Puja pandals in city

Kolkata: In a bid to boost the Tourism sector in the state, the Bengal government will make arrangements to take foreign tourists for a tour to famous pandals during Durga Puja.

The Puja organisers will be asked to maintain a "green channel", so that the foreign tourists can reach the pandals without facing any traffic congestion. This is the first time that the state government has taken such an initiative.

Every year, tourists from different parts of the world visit Bengal during Durga Puja. They also enjoy the extravaganza of the Red Road Carnival.

This year, the state Tourism department and the Information and Cultural Affairs department are taking the step to take the tourists for a tour of the different Puja pandals in and around the city.

Elaborating on the plan of taking foreign tourists to different Puja pandals, Indranil Sen, Minister of State for the Tourism department, said: "There will be a meeting of the state Tourism department and Information and Cultural Affairs department in this connection. The main idea is to make the foreign tourists experience the tradition and the real essence of Durga Puja."

Citing some examples, Sen said: "If they visit a Puja pandal in the evening, then they can witness the Sandhya Aarti. They can also be a part of the Bhog eating ceremony, if they visit a pandal on Ashtami afternoon."

The organisers of the pandals which the tourists will be visiting, will also be urged to make such an arrangement that they will never forget the hospitality of the people of Bengal.

Last year as well, a large number of tourists from abroad had visited the city during Durga Puja. "This year, the number will go up ten times," said Sen, adding that Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) has also turned into a tourism destination. This year, many tourists from abroad will also be visiting KIFF.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier announced that this year, 75 Puja committees will be taking part in the Red Road Carnival that will take place on October 23. In 2017, the number was 55. It may be mentioned that the carnival is a platform where one can get glimpses of all the famous Pujas in Kolkata and its surrounding areas.