The city is decked out in Puja colours. Thousands are already out on the streets, throwing down the gauntlet at the possibility of rain, just days after a deluge had derailed everyday life.
The real festival begins with Sashthi on Sunday. Before plunging into five days of fun, feasting, prayers, films, and adda, here’s a lowdown on what to expect:
EYE ON SKY
A depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal made landfall in southern Odisha, near the Gopalpur sea resort, around 4.30am on Saturday, a Met bulletin said. By 8.30am, it was 70km west of Gopalpur. Calcutta and Gopalpur are more than 600km apart.
The system, which is moving westward, is too far from Calcutta to have any significant impact. Light to moderate rain is expected in Calcutta from Sashthi (Sunday) to Navami (Tuesday).
However, a fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the north Bay on Navami, which could bring heavy rain to south Bengal. Calcutta is most likely to receive heavy rainfall on Dashami (Thursday).
SAFETY FIRST
Based on conversations with engineers and power department officials, a list of dos and don’ts in case of heavy rain:
- Stay away from electrical poles, stray wires, and distribution boxes during heavy rain and lightning
- Don’t touch dangling conductors or wires
- Don’t touch electrical equipment at pandals. Children, especially, should be kept away from them
- Out on a waterlogged road, refrain from touching any metal object like an iron railing, a lamp post or a trident that is exposed to rain.
ROADS
Several road restrictions will be in place during Puja. Kolkata Police have advised following the route map available at police kiosks, on the Kolkata Police website and the Puja Bandhu App.
GOODS VEHICLES
The movement of goods vehicles will be restricted except for those carrying emergency items and perishable goods. Till Saptami, goods vehicles will be allowed inside the city between 2am and 6am. On Ashtami, this time span will be for three hours between 3am and 6am and on Navami, two hours between 4am and 6am.
POLICE DEPLOYMENT
Over 10,000 personnel will be deployed around the city and its suburbs during the festive days. Senior officers of the rank of assistant commissioner of police and above will supervise the deployment across all divisions of Kolkata Police, as well as 25 traffic guards in the city. The all-women Winners team will be around major pandals to prevent crime against women, and 500 police pickets will be set up across the city to oversee puja crowd management and prevent crime. Special Striking Force units will be deployed along with 29 Heavy Radio Flying Squad (HRFS) vehicles and divisional control room vans.
Helplines
- Emergency helpline: 100
- Lalbazar control room: 22143230
- Traffic police helpline: 9830010000
- Traffic control room: 22143644
- Children’s helpline: 1098
- Missing person’s squad: 22505153, 22141430
- Fire: 101
- Fire brigade: 22861570, 22521165
- Ambulance: 102
- CESC: 9831079666, 9831083700, 1912
- WBSEDCL: 8900793503, 8900793504, 19121
TRANSPORT
Government buses will run in greater numbers. Private bus operators said their fleet will also be out on the roads and operate till late at night to cater to the demands of pandal-hoppers. Autos will have restricted movement till 2pm on Sashthi, after which three-wheelers will be off the roads. Metered taxis and app cabs, including those that have joined government initiative Yatri Sathi will be available round-the-clock. But brace for a steep surge in fares.
METRO
The carrier will run trains through the night on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami on the Blue and Green Lines.
Blue Line (Dakshineswar to Shahid Khudiram)
- Sashthi (Sunday): 246 trains from 9am to 11pm
- Saptami to Navami (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday): 246 daily services from 1pm to 4am the next morning
- Dashami (Thursday): 132 services from 1pm to 10pm
Green Line (Howrah Maidan to Sector V)
- Sashthi: 184 services from 9am to 11.28pm
- Saptami to Navami: 192 services every day from 1.30pm to 4.18am
- Dashami: 74 services from 1.30pm to 10.32pm
Yellow Line (Noapara to Jai Hind Bimanbandar/airport)
- Sashthi: 60 trains between 3pm and 10.35pm
- Saptami, Ashtami, Navami: 62 services every day from 3pm to 10.50pm
- Dashami: 50 services from 3pm to 9.20pm
Purple Line (Joka to Majerhat)
- Sashthi to Dashami: 38 services every day from 3pm to 10.55pm
Orange Line(New Garia to Beleghata)
- Sashthi to Dashami: Shut for passengers
KMC ON GUARD
An early Durga Puja and a forecast of rain on all days of the festival have kept the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on its toes. A KMC official said 450 portable pumps have been kept in flood-prone areas to prevent heavy waterlogging in case of rain. The pumps will drain the water from the roads into a nearby drainage line that is better equipped to handle the storm water.
Besides, 150 field workers will be on duty across the city to open and close sluice gates as required. They will also remove waste blocking gully pits and manholes. “We have asked all engineers of essential departments to be on alert. They cannot leave the city during Puja,” said an official.
Potholes have resurfaced on many roads following the rain on September 23 and the consequent waterlogging. The KMC is using seven pothole repairing vans to fix the potholes. These vans are smaller in size and can enter narrow roads and work on roads with traffic. They can also reach pandals and fix broken roads. “There will be special teams on duty even during Puja,” said an official.
Helplines
Kolkata Municipal Corporation control room: 2286 1212/1313/1414
New Town Kolkata Development Authority control room: 1800103-7652
TIPPLE TALE
There are no dry days this Puja except Dashami, which falls on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. On that day, only clubs and hotels rated five-star and above can serve liquor. On all other days, there are no restrictions on off-shops, bars, pubs, or online liquor sales.
FASHION
This year’s fashion is all about embracing individual style and prioritising comfort, especially with the weather being so unpredictable. Still, some trends like boho chic, metallics, and brocade are scoring high on the trend-o-meter. Classic festive favourites such as red and white remain popular for Ashtami, but feel free to experiment with different silhouettes and incorporate shades like maroon, earthy browns, and metallic gold into your wardrobe. For men, kurtas paired with jeans or kurta-pyjamas are expected to be go-to choices for comfort. For those who like to push the envelope, try a dhoti with an Indo-western twist, topped with a bundi or a blazer. If you’re heading out for pandal hopping, opt for solid-coloured cotton saris for women and lightweight kurtas for men — paired with comfortable footwear for an effortless and stylish look. Pro tip: Always be rain-ready!
FILMS
With Dev’s Raghu Dakat, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Srabanti Chatterjee’s Devi Chowdhurani, and Raktabeej 2, starring Abir Chatterjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Ankush Hazra and Koushani Mukherjee, it’s a movie feast in theatres this Puja. Bringing up the rear is Joto Kando Kolkatatei, inspired by Satyajit Ray’s stories, with Abir playing Topshe. Also poised to be a pop pick is Homebound, India’s official entry to the Oscars, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor. Hollywood buffs can queue up for One Battle After Another, which features an iconic cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro..
EVENTS
Some of the campaigns to select best pujas — big-ticket crowd pullers to housing complexes — through the eyes of Calcuttans, including children
CESC The Telegraph True Spirit Puja 2025, powered by The Bhawanipur Education Society College: Turning 23 this year, the campaign aims to recognise clubs that organise pujas with a sense of social responsibility and by creating safe, sustainable and inclusive spaces, the competition awards Puja committees in the categories of Model Puja and Five Star Pujas. Besides creativity, judges evaluate each contestant puja for fire safety, traffic and crowd management, visitor comfort, cleanliness, and environmental responsibility.
The Telegraph Puja Premier League 2025 powered by New Supradyn Naturals Ginseng — Multivitamin for Men in association with Bazaar Kolkata: Features community pujas in and around the city. Almost 100 such Puja committees participated in the competition held in the month leading up to Puja. The winners and runners-up are judged based on their choice of themes and their efforts in executing a responsible and socially-conscious puja.
The Telegraph Hand in Hand in your housing complex: A fun contest among more than 100 housing societies in and around Calcutta. This resident-organised competition aims to foster bonhomie and community spirit. With dhunuchi dance, sit and draw and recipe contests and many other exciting engagements, the campaign promises something for everyone.
TTIS Choto Chokhe Boro Pujo, powered by JIS Group and co-sponsored by admissiontree.in: A jury of schoolchildren pick the top five from 50 pujas. The awardees will be selected in the Best Puja, Best Idol, Best Pandal, Best Innovative Puja and Judges’ Choice categories.
Parle Top Anandabazar Patrika Sharod Arghya 2025: The campaign celebrates and awards artistic excellence in categories like Best Puja, Best Idol and Best Pandal. Readers are invited to be judges for this contest along with a distinguished panel. Over 500 entries are received every year.