Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday said restrictions entered the pandal pandal that existed last year Puja times would continue to be valid this year.
Only a limited number of vaccinated people will be allowed to enter at a time.
The bench, however, clarified that fully vaccinated should not be seen as a license to enter a pandal.
Holiday benches from Judge Rajasshekhar Mantatha and Justice Keshang Doma Bhutia said all Covid restrictions were in accordance with the court order issued on November 5, 2020 before Puja last year and October 7, 2021, before Durga Puja this year, will occur during the Esnuing Festival – Time Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja and Puja Kartik.
Pandal will continue to be a zone not entering for visitors.
The court order allows a large number of people to enter a pandal at a certain time point.
For small pandal, where the closed area is 150sqm, only 10 people will be allowed at a time.
In a larger pandal, with a closed area measuring between 150 square meters and 300sqm, 15 people can enter at a time.
For a pandal that exceeds 300 m, 45 people have been allowed to enter at a certain time point.
The bench, stating that all who were allowed to enter the pandal must be fully vaccinated also said that fully vaccinated did not give people the right to enter a pandal.
The statement of the judges followed the concerns expressed by the previous court about a similar restriction that was ongoing during the Puja Durga.
While some PANDAL PUJA witnessed crowding, Sreebhumi Sporting Puja in Lake Town came for special attention because of the large crowd drawn.
The Bidhannagar commission must finally close the entry from Nabami.
Upholding restrictions during times Puja is less challenging than Durga Puja because the traditional pandal is open.
However, there are certain stretches, such as Amherst Street, Keshab Sen Street, Ganesh Chandra Avenue, SN Banerjee Road, Belowaghata-Kankurgachi, Motilal Nehru Road, Ramesh Mitra Road, Chetla-Kalighat, tollygunge-kudghat belt, which became very crowded.