Despite a cloudy day with the sun refusing to show up, people stepped out and headed to city hotspots like Eco Park, Nicco Park, Victoria Memorial, Alipore zoo and the Maidan in numbers.
With the minimum temperature dropping to 15.2 and the maximum reaching 19.5, around six degrees below normal, the day was not only cloudy but seemed colder than usual.
Layers and caps were the order of the day and the Victoria Memorial, Eco Park and Nicco Park looked their usual winter festive self.
Alipore zoo
People thronged the zoo from across the city as well as the districts and many were seen heading to the Maidan after taking a look at the racecourse on foot.
Outside the zoo, policemen had a trying time to convince people to stay within the ropes.
Several were spotted using loudhailers and asking pedestrians not to step out of the rope barricades while the vehicles had a green signal for them to pass.
A zoo official said that they sold 37,000 tickets on Sunday.
Inside, the tiger enclosure was crowded throughout the day and the one housing elephants and chimpanzees were the crowd favourites.
Shekhar Basu, a resident of Golf Green, was at the zoo with his six-year-old son and wife.
“We chose today as we thought that it would be less crowded, but as our app cab drove near the zoo we realised that we had been badly mistaken. Inside, it was crowded, but my son could spot the animals and we are more than happy for that,” said Basu.Victoria, Maidan The queues at the Victoria Memorial’s ticket counters grew longer as the day progressed.
Inside, people were spotted clicking selfies and groupies, while many chose to sit down and chat with friends and family in the sprawling garden.
Outside the Victoria Memorial, phaetons did a brisk business and were seen doing rounds with families and couples on board.
On the Maidan, many were spotted playing a game of badminton or cricket, while several families chose to lay out sheets and have picnic lunches.
Photographers clicking couples for their pre-wedding shoots were also spotted in numbers.
Eco Park, Nicco Park
Groups of families and friends headed for the 480-acre Eco Park in New Town on Sunday.
The cops had a trying time to keep vehicles moving on both flanks — one for Salt Lake-bound vehicles and the other for vehicles headed for the airport — of the Major Arterial Road.
Inside, groups of people were seen enjoying picnic lunches and playing badminton or other games. There were serpentine queues outside all the ticket counters and many were seen carrying badminton rackets as they made their way inside the park.
Nicco Park, too, was crowded throughout the day. Rides such as the roller-coaster, Striking Cars, Sky Launcher and the revamped Toy Train were the crowd favourites.
