Eye on sky
Keep the umbrellas and raincoats ready as you go pandal-hopping. The weather is likely to play a spoilsport this Puja. A cyclonic circulation is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal on Saturday. The Met office has predicted a rainy spell in Kolkata and the rest of south Bengal between Saturday and Wednesday. The bulk of the showers is expected between Saturday (Sashthi) night and Monday (Ashtami) morning.
Road restrictions
Several road restrictions have been introduced for the Durga Puja days, whose details are available on the Kolkata police website. An app named Utsav has also been launched, from where one can see the road restrictions related to 250 big pujas in Kolkata. Goods vehicles will not be allowed to enter the city from 8am on Sashthi to 3am on Saptami, from 8am on Saptami to 4am on Ashtami, from 7am on Ashtami to 4am Navami, and from 8am on Navami to 4am on Dashami.
Police deployment
More than 20,000 cops from various units of Lalbazar will be on the roads on the Puja days. Multiple watchtowers and police pickets have been set up near the big pandals. Heavy radio flying squads, radio flying squads and mobile patrols will be on the roads, officers said. A huge battery of police personnel from the rank of constable to additional director general of police will be on the roads during the Puja.
Helplines
⚫ Emergency helpline: 100
⚫ Lalbazar control room: 22143230
⚫ Traffic control room: 22143644
⚫ Traffic police helpline: 9830010000
⚫ Children’s helpline: 1098
⚫ Missing person’s squad: 22505153, 22141430
⚫ Fire: 101
⚫ Fire brigade control room: 22861570, 22521165
⚫ Ambulance: 102
⚫ AAEI breakdown services: 24865131, 24865132, 24865133
⚫ CESC: 9831079666, 9831083700, 1912
⚫ WBSEDCL: 19121
Metro schedule
Metro Railway will run trains through the night from Saptami to Navami
North-south corridor
⚫ On Sashthi (October 1), Metro will run 288 trains. The first and last trains will leave Dum Dum and New Garia at 8am and 10.50pm, respectively. The first and last trains will leave Dakshineswar at 8.10am and 10.38pm, respectively. From New Garia, the last Dakshineswar-bound train will leave at 10.40pm.
⚫ On Saptami, Ashtami and Navami (October 2, 3 and 4), the carrier will run 248 trains. The first and last trains will leave Dum Dum and New Garia at 1pm and 4am, respectively. The first and last trains will leave Dakshineswar at 1pm and 3.48am, respectively. From New Garia, the last Dakshineswar-bound train will leave at 3.50am.
⚫ On Dashami (October 5), the carrier will run 132 trains. The first and last trains will leave Dum Dum and New Garia at 1pm and 10pm, respectively. The first and last trains will leave Dakshineswar at 1pm and 9.48pm, respectively. The last Dakshineswar-bound train will leave New Garia at 9.50pm.
The carrier has urged passengers to switch to smart cards to avoid long waits for tokens during the Puja.
East-West Metro
⚫ The carrier will run 72 trains between Sealdah and Sector V on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami (October 2, 3 and 4). The first train will leave Sealdah at 11.55am and Sector V at noon. The last train will leave Sealdah at 11.35pm and Sector V at 11.40pm.
⚫ On Dashami (October 5), there will be 48 trains. The first train will leave Sealdah at 11.55am and Sector V at noon. The last train will leave Sealdah at 7.35pm and Sector V at 7.40pm.
Tipple tale
There are no dry days. There is no restriction on off shops, bars, pubs and clubs on the Puja days.
Plex platter
Not one for pandal hopping? Well, there is a buffet of new releases to pack into the festive days. Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan lock horns in Vikram Vedha, while auteur Mani Ratnam’s “dream project” Ponniyin Selvan: I promises a slice of history that’s both grand and educative. Don’t Worry Darling, starring Harry Styles and Florence Pugh, is a treat for Holly buffs. For Bengali film lovers, there are three big releases. Abir Chatterjee, Arjun Chakrabarty and Ishaa Saha take forward the treasure hunt journey in Karnasubarner Guptodhon. Kacher Manush sees superstars Prosenjit and Dev engage in a battle of wits. And Subhashree Ganguly cooks up a storm in Parambrata Chattopadhyay’s film Boudi Canteen.
Fashion
Go all out this Durga Puja with your wardrobe.
Saris in different prints and fabrics are a rage like never before. From draped saris, monochrome, printed to traditional weaves, Durga Puja fashion is incomplete without a sari.
Handlooms are a popular choice in terms of fabric. Don’t forget to keep it fashionable with cool blouses with festive motifs and cool cuts.
Tone-on-tone is the new colour blocking that’s a hit with millennials. Flared pants have taken over western wear big time with high-waisted options in denims, soft fabrics and patches being popular. Team them up with oversized shirts with your chunky sneakers, that’s quite a fave and comfy, too! Team up your fave party attire with coloured heels, a top pick this time!
If you are nail art person, don’t forget to slip on a current hot trend, nail rings that will turn heads.
Events
⚫ Durga Bari 2.0 at Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences in association with The Telegraph: Expect to unwind with their luxury stay package, that has pet-friendly rooms, meals and also access to the Grand Pujo Mandap. That apart, dig into yummy buffets at Casablanca, The Square and Durgabarir Mahabhoj at The Eiffel banquet.
⚫ Chhad Bagan Durgotsav at Fairfield by Marriott in association with The Telegraph: The star property in Rajarhat has come up with a terrace garden pandal and murti, along with delish bhoj, carnival games and different food stalls, musical performances. The space is an eat, chill, celebrate zone.
⚫ Lucky Ali Live in association with The Telegraph: The singer will take the stage at JW Mariott Kolkata, 10pm onwards. Joining him on the line-up is singer Vishal Sharma and DJ Vicky Metharamani with a fun line of Bollywood songs.