Residents of New Town can offer Eid namaz in air-conditioned comfort this year. For the first time, the New Town Kolkata Development Authority has allowed a banquet hall at the NKDA Community Centre near Biswa Bangla Gate to be used for the purpose.
The decision was taken after New Town Citizens’ Welfare Fraternity, an umbrella body of residents, approached the authority for permission, suggesting several spots as options. According to sources, the decision was taken after a verbal assurance from urban development minister and Hidco chairman Firhad Hakim to NTCWF members.
Prayers for Id-ul-Fitr will start at 8am on Saturday and continue for about half an hour. There will be arrangements for women to offer namaz as well with a partitioned space.
So long, people had to travel to Nazrul Park in Salt Lake to offer namaz. In New Town, residents of Arena Housing Society in BA Block, which came up as a West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Corporation housing project, would make arrangements for its own residents on its premises.
The community centre will be open to people from outside New Town as well.