The world’s largest community-driven event got off to its quietest start in living memory on Panchami after Calcutta High Court stuck to its resolve to give primacy to public health in the middle of a pandemic.

The high court on Wednesday allowed more organisers to enter community puja pandals but did not modify its earlier order that kept visitors out.

The division bench of Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee permitted big pujas to name each day 60 people who can be granted access to the pandal and its immediate vicinity. In the earlier order issued on Monday, that number was 25-30.

Although 60 people can now be named on the list, no more than 45, including the priest, can be allowed inside at any point of time. For smaller pujas, the list can be of 20 people but no more than 15 will be allowed inside.

The court defined a big puja as one that occupies 300sqm, leaving out the dais where the idol is placed.

The court allowed the dhak players in the space between the pandal and the barricade demarcating the no-entry zone.

By dusk, the impact of the court order was visible on the ground with few visitors seen around pandals. If the Panchami response is an indication, it appeared that prospective revellers were so far paying heed to the public-health concern that compelled the court to put in place the restrictions.

At Singhee Park in Gariahat, a barricade had been put up at least 50 metres from the pandal.

A group who said they wanted to go to one of the shops in the stretch in between was told by a policeman: “I can’t do anything…. Go to the police station if you have a complaint.”

A woodwork artist who had set up a roadside stall at Hindusthan Park said he had not had a single buyer all evening.

Eight applications had been filed before the high court seeking relaxations on its earlier order.

The petitioners wanted staggered anjali during Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Sandhi Puja, held in the cusp of Ashtami and Navami. They also wanted Sindur Khela, in which women smear vermilion on each other after offering it to the Goddess.

The final order only makes a concession on the number of organisers allowed inside and the dhak players.

The court rejected a bid by a group of doctors to ask for more restrictions. “An attempt has been made by a body of doctors to intervene. Considering that today is Panchami, the first day of the six-day celebrations, no submission for further possible restrictions has been allowed at this stage,” the order said.