Kolkata gears up for post-Durga Puja ‘carnival’

Kolkata, Oct 2 (IANS) West Bengal's biggest festival Durga Puja may have ended but the celebratory mood is still on as the city gears up for the second edition of the immersion carnival to be held here on Tuesday, showcasing the award-winning Durga idols of this year.

The carnival, a state government-organised road show, will be held at the iconic Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road), where the idols and replica of marquees of around 65 most popular community puja committees from the city and the adjoining areas will be on view as part of the immersion procession.

After being pronounced a success in the first year, the carnival, a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is set to be held in a bigger way with several additional features, including increased sitting capacity for the spectators and a huge lighting arrangement.

According to police, the security in and around the area has been beefed up for the event.

Around 2,000 police personnel would be posted in the area during the event. There would be six police booths, seven watch towers and several CCTV cameras to monitor the situation, police said.

Emergency services like fire tenders and four medical teams would also be available.

Each of the organisers have been allotted two minutes to showcase their puja. Each team is allowed a maximum of 50 members and four vehicles in their procession.

Governor K.N. Tripathi, Banerjee and state ministers and delegates are scheduled to be present in the carnival. Popular state government initiatives like "Kanyashree Prakalpa" would be featured through lighting during the course of the event.

Several foreign delegates including the football teams present in the city for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup are also also expected to be present.

The idols would be immersed in the Hooghly river after the carnival.