Durga Puja committees of the area can apply online for permission from September 18 to 30 on the Bidhannagar Commissionerate’s website bidhannagarcitypolice.gov.in.
Committees across New Town under the three police stations as well as Rajarhat police station which cannot apply online may visit New Town police station on September 22 to avail of the offline single window facility while those in Salt Lake may visit DB community hall, near City Centre, on September 20, from 11am to 4pm.
The Bidhannagar East police station has called a meeting on their premises with the puja committees on September 18. Bidhannagar North and South thanas have already held their meetings.
The venue and date for the single window facility for Lake Town and Baguiati pujas is Lake Town Association Hall in Block A on September 21.
For Narayanpur and airport area pujas, offline applications will be accepted at the Airport City Banquet on Belghoria Expressway near airport gate 3, on September 23.
No new puja will be allowed to apply online. “We do not have instructions on new pujas,” an officer said.
On Wednesday, the New Town police had called a meeting at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre for the 220-plus pujas under the five police stations of the area. The meeting was attended by NKDA chairman Debashis Sen, MLA Tapash Chaterjee, deputy commissioner New Town Bishop Sarkar, station officer of the Bidhannagar fire station Joyesh Kanjilal, block development officer Rajarhat Rishika Das as well as the inspectors in charge of the five thanas and officials of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company and the land department.
Sarkar urged puja committees to avail of the online option in view of the Covid scenario. “Last year’s directives will be in place,” he said.
Sub-inspector Suvendu Mukherjee put up a presentation on how to apply online. He advised committees to wait for two-three days after filling up the form online for the payment option to be activated on-screen.
Those organising puja on the streets were asked to provide a declaration that residents living on the street had no objection to the puja in place of land permission and mention how long the puja was being held on the street.
A representative of a puja which was not held last year was asked to use documents of 2019 while applying.
Power utility officials pointed out that committees which would choose to use an existing meter instead of taking a new one would have to forgo the 50 per cent rebate announced at the chief minister’s Puja meeting. “Those who take a new meter can pay Rs 135 per day per kilowatt in place of Rs 270 per day per kilowatt,” an official said.