Kolkata’s extended deadline for dismantling Durga Puja pandals expired on Thursday, but several parks and roads remained inaccessible as organisers continued removing temporary structures and clearing festival debris. The delay has kept public spaces including Allen Park, Jagat Mukherjee Park, Kumartuli Park and College Square out of regular use for residents.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s parks department had allowed some puja committees to hold celebrations in parks on the condition that the sites would be restored immediately after Lakshmi Puja. The civic body initially fixed October 27 as the deadline for removing the pandals, but extended it by 48 hours after most committees failed to complete the work.
At Allen Park, where a Durga Puja was organised for the first time this year, the park had not been restored. A member of the organising committee said the group lacked experience in dismantling the structure and would need another four to five days to make the park accessible. The organiser also indicated that the committee would seek additional time from civic officials.
Jagat Mukherjee Park in Bagbazar remained inaccessible because the main pandal structure had not been removed. Sudip Saha, a senior citizen and resident, said the park was his regular evening meeting place with friends and had been unavailable for almost a month. He said the KMC could have encouraged organisers to begin dismantling work earlier so that the park could be returned to residents sooner.
At Kumartuli Park, dismantling had begun, but bamboo and other decorative material continued to occupy the ground. A fair organised during the four-day festival had also left behind temporary stalls and additional clutter. At College Square, the large pandal structure was still standing, while residents expressed concern that civic deadlines were not being followed consistently each year.
The access problem extends beyond the parks themselves. A KMC parks department official acknowledged that temporary bamboo structures erected for Durga Puja advertisements were still visible in several neighbourhoods. The locations mentioned include Ultadanga, Maniktala, Central Avenue, New Alipore, Diamond Harbour Road, Tollygunge and Bhowanipore.
The delayed restoration has placed the practical burden of festival clear-up on public spaces that residents use for recreation, walking and social activity. The reported condition of the sites also highlights the enforcement challenge faced by the civic body when permissions for temporary public-space use are tied to restoration deadlines but compliance is delayed.
The KMC’s extended deadline has now passed, while organisers at several sites continue dismantling structures and clearing materials. The Allen Park committee said it expected to make the park accessible within another four to five days, subject to additional time from civic officials.
