With just a few days remaining until the highly anticipated Durga Puja festival, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued a directive requiring Durga Puja committees to dismantle the grand Puja gates and pandals constructed on city roads and footpaths. This decision comes after the AMC had previously cautioned Puja committees against obstructing traffic flow with these structures.
Despite the initial warnings from the AMC, many Puja committees proceeded with the construction of their traditional, elaborate Puja Gates across the city’s roads. On Tuesday, AMC officials, along with heavy machinery and workers, began the process of dismantling these structures, causing a major setback for the Puja organizing committees.
Assistant AMC Commissioner of the Central Zone, Mahendra Chakma, explained, “People are already aware that the AMC is actively working to ensure the smooth movement of traffic within the city. In addition to clearing roadside hawkers and unauthorized shops and stalls, we are also dismantling Puja pandals and gates built on or adjacent to city roads, which tend to cause traffic congestion during the festival when large crowds gather.”
When questioned about the timing of the decision, Chakma stated, “We were engaged in various other city improvement initiatives and are now focusing on addressing this issue.”
Chakma further urged all Puja organizing committees to cooperate and promptly dismantle their pandals that encroach upon roads and footpaths in preparation for the upcoming Durga Puja festivities.
This development has sent shockwaves through various Puja organizing committees in the city, as the construction of pandals and gates was near completion in many locations. Funds from the Puja budget had already been extensively invested in these structures. The decision has left the committees grappling with the challenges of finding alternative locations and restarting their preparations from scratch.
The AMC’s decision to prioritize traffic management during the festival has ignited discussions across the city, as Puja committees scramble to find solutions to the logistical and financial hurdles that lie ahead. The countdown to Durga Puja begins with uncertainty and anticipation for both organizers and devotees alike.
