With just about a month to go for Durga puja – the biggest annual extravaganza in West Bengal – preparations have begun across the city, albeit at a lower scale this time, as organisers chalk out safety plans to avoid further spread of Covid-19.
Samajsebi Sangha in south Kolkata, known for its thought-provoking marquee themes every year, has decided to change its open-air pandal’s direction towards Southern Avenue to enable people catch a glimpse of the deity from a distance without having to alight from their vehicles.
“There will be a canopy on top to guard the 10-foot- high deity, but all three sides of the pandal will remain open. Medical personnel would be stationed next to the marquee with emergency kit and equipment. Volunteers won’t allow people to crowd at the pandal entrance.
“This year, things ought to be different… We have curtailed our budget from Rs…