Park Street will be closed to vehicles on Christmas Eve and Christmas, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at the inauguration of Kolkata Christmas Festival 2024 at Allen Park on Thursday evening.

“On (December) 24 and 25, no cars will ply here. You have to walk and enjoy the good food and enjoy the Christmas festival...,” Mamata said.

Every year, Park Street is closed to vehicles from the evening of December 24 till early on December 25, said an officer of Kolkata Police.

The festival will continue till December 30. Started in 2011, it is marked by carol singing and live performances. Food stalls at Allen Park, off Park Street, are an added attraction.

“Christmas means love. Christmas means joy. Christmas means affection. Christmas means peace. Christmas means a good lesson. Christmas means unity. Christmas means we pray to God to bless all people throughout the world,” the chief minister said.

“We have started this programme.... It is the credit of the people of Bengal that we love all religions, festivals, and people of all castes, creeds, religions and communities (celebrate) together,” she said.

“All the districts are now celebrating. I have seen so many roads in Calcutta, they are also celebrating. It is a beautiful festival.”

Reverend Thomas D’ Souza, the archbishop of Calcutta, said the Xmas lights dispel the darkness around and within us.

“God continues to love us and he wants us to love one another because we are all human beings, brothers and sisters, members of a large human family. May the birth of Jesus Christ celebrated at Christmas inspire us to work tirelessly for this common responsibility namely to build a community and society based on love, human dignity, justice, truth, humility, service and mutual respect, all values so beautifully enshrined in our Constitution of India, of which we have just celebrated its 75 years,” the archbishop said.

He praised the chief minister for the unity, harmony and peace among various communities in the state.

“Christmas is a time to spread the message of love, peace and joy around us... peace, love are needed today more than ever as we look around...” he said.

Reverend Paritosh Canning, the bishop of the Calcutta diocese ofthe Church of North India, said taking the name of Jesus helps solve “all problems”.