By Debashrita Mazumder Oct 01, 2022
Agartala, 1 Oct (FD) The celebration of Durga Puja has always been grand in Tripura. After two rounds of dull and restricted celebration, this year is gushed with pent up excitement from the common people.
Though Saptami marks the beginning of Durga Puja but every year devotees fill the pandals from Sashti itself. However, this year is different since people have started pandal hopping, three days before the official start. Their excitement can be witnessed in the beautiful decorations, huge pandals and streets adorned with decorative lights, with no corners to spare.
During a meeting between the puja organizers and representatives of the administration held in Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan recently it was mentioned earlier that a budget of 5 crore is allotted to maintain the roads and decorate the city. 6 important roads will be decorated with tiranga lights, road repair, installation of flood lights and facilities of cranes and trolleys in Dashami ghat will be arranged.
To meet the demands of common people, most clubs have opened their pandals on Chaturthi and Panchami. The pandals of different clubs were inaugurated by many important people including the Chief Minister of Tripura and other political leaders. Kalyan Choube, the president of All India Football Federation was a new face among the inaugurators this year.
In a press conference, the Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Saha has earlier warned every Puja organizing club to refrain from forceful collection of subscriptions from locals. He cautioned the clubs that such unlawful activity would be treated with strict actions from the authority. Dr. Manik Saha also said to avoid consumption of any intoxicating substance to maintain the decorum and flow of events during Durga Puja. He asked the organizers to work together in judicious use of electricity, hiring workers and organizing healthy competitions to allow smooth conduct of the festival. The Puja celebration is sailing smoothly as of now.
With such excitement and enthusiasm among the citizens, it is expected the streets will be swarmed with people in the next four days. Therefore the authorities are precautious about securing the peace and maintaining the crowd. The authority has placed 99 CCTV cameras and assigned 130 police vehicles to patrol the streets during Durga Puja, said Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of police, Jyotisman Das Chowdhury in a press conference on Thursday. Besides the police force, 1500 TSR, scouts and guides and NCC members will also be there to maintain the security and discipline in the state. Tripura police AIG also informs that there will be some traffic restrictions and ‘NO Entry’ signs posted on some streets from 5 pm to 12 am to keep the crowd in control.
Meanwhile, Tripura Road and Transport Corporation (TRTC) will provide free bus services during three days of Durga Puja in three extra routes. The director of TRTC has earlier informed in a press conference that the free bus services will be available for the public from 1 am to 6 pm and no fare during Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami of Durga Puja. These new routes include Akhaura Entry gate check point to MBB international airport, Krishnanagar TRTC complex to Jampuijala via old motor stand, Dakshin Anandanagar, G.B hospital to Kamalasagar, Kasba Kali bari, Agartala railway station to Ashwini market, Kailashar to Kumarghat railway station, Dharmanagar to Khedachara via Damchhora, Dharamanagar to Karimganj and Dharmanagar to Kailashahar.
To mark the end of the grand celebration the minister of information and cultural affairs Sushanta Chowdhury requested all the clubs to participate in the immersion rally to be organized by the authorities on October 7. The procession will proceed from Post office chowmuhani through Paradise chowmuhani until Dashami ghat. FD DM JK