Rain threat fails to keep pandal-hoppers home on Saptami

A cloudy sky and the threat of thundershowers that the Met office sounded could not keep the people of Kolkata at home.

Tens of thousands of pandal hoppers were out on the streets since noon, armed with umbrellas and many wearing weatherproof shoes.

Traffic started slowing down in the afternoon and police said snarls were seen more in south Kolkata compared to the north.

Naktala Udayan Sangha.

Gautam Bose and Sanat Kr Sinha

In malls, many were doing last-minute shopping on Saptami.

A cyclonic circulation has taken shape over the Bay of Bengal. On Sunday afternoon, it was over the northeast Bay. Under the influence of the system, a trough of low pressure also extends from the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh.

Kolkata did not get much rain till Sunday evening. A few spells happened in the morning. “A set of clouds reached the city in the morning. But a bulk of them moved towards the western districts of Bengal. But more clouds were headed Kolkata’s way,” said a Met official.

Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha.

Gautam Bose and Sanat Kr Sinha

At 3pm, Naktala Udayan Sangha was teeming with the pandal hoppers thronging what is considered a big-ticket puja between Tollygunge and Garia.

Among them were four friends who came armed with umbrellas and weatherproof shoes. “We are struck by the fear it could rain any moment. So, apart from carrying an umbrella, I have come wearing waterproof shoes,” said Arunava Chaudhuri from Sonarpur.

Sreebhumi Sporting Club.

Gautam Bose and Sanat Kr Sinha

Was it a hazard, carrying the umbrella to the pandals?

“Not at all. We have started from Garia and have plans to visit the pujas in central Kolkata. The umbrella and the weatherproof shoes will help us overcome the inclement weather,” said Sheetal Ghosh, Chaudhuri’s friend who has come from Delhi.

New Town Sarbojanin.

Gautam Bose and Sanat Kr Sinha

A mother who came with her daughter was carrying an umbrella at Naktala.

At Mudiali Club, H.N. Dey who came from Howrah to visit the puja off Rabindra Sarobar said he bought an umbrella outside the pandal. “I was not carrying an umbrella. But I stepped out of the Kalighat Metro station and bought an umbrella,” he said.

At Mudiali Club, The Telegraph spotted a group of office friends who came from different parts of Kolkata.

They said they were carrying umbrellas but would not mind even if there was a heavy shower and umbrellas were not enough. “On Saturday, we visited pandals in north Kolkata amid the downpour. All of us got drenched. We don’t mind getting drenched on Saptami,” said Kalamlika Sinha.

College Square.

Gautam Bose and Sanat Kr Sinha

As pandal hoppers stepped out in large numbers from late afternoon, vehicular movement took a hit.

Parts of south Kolkata witnessed heavier footfall compared to north on Saptami. Rush hour evening traffic was choked at several key intersections in Gariahat, Rashbehari, Golpark, Chetla, New Alipore and Behala.

Many pandal hoppers said it took them over 40 minutes to reach Golpark from Lake Gardens down Southern Avenue in the evening.

By 6pm, the police installed portable drop gates at Gariahat crossing to control pedestrian traffic.

“Drop gates can be run by one traffic volunteer and that helps engage more personnel at other junctions,” said a senior police officer. “We plan to do the same at Rashbehari crossing on Ashtami.”

Close to 12,000 personnel were deployed across Kolkata on Sunday to manage vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

New Town Sarbojanin.

Gautam Bose and Sanat Kr Sinha

Senior officers said traffic around big-ticket pujas in the south, including Tollygunge, Haridevpur, Thakurpukur, Behala and Kasba slowed down because of heavy pedestrian crossovers.

In the north, Shovabazar was the biggest draw with traffic slowing down on Central Avenue because of heavy footfall, the police said.

The usual crowd pullers, including College Square and Santosh Mitra Square, also attracted swarming crowds.

But the dispersal was faster owing to changes in police plan.

Shoppers at South City Mall on Sunday afternoon.

Gautam Bose

“From 5pm, all vehicles on College Street were made to move only towards Shyambazar. By 6pm, even Amherst Street was made to follow the same,” a police officer said.

At South City Mall, The Telegraph spotted many doing last-minute shopping.