Domestic airfares to Kolkata, which is set to enter the Durga Puja season in October, have declined up to 30 per cent on a year-on-year basis due to an increase in the number of flights and a dip in bookings. The revelry, this year, will be held in the shadow of protests and the call for justice that followed the sexual assault and murder of a medico at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month.

Travel companies, including SOTC, Thomas Cook and Yatra.com have reported an increase in travel demand from the State during the highly anticipated holidays. According to Thomas Cook, demand for travel to Central Asia and Europe has increased by 22 - 25 per cent. Bookings to Kolkata, however, remain sluggish, say travel firms.

Airfares drop

According to ixigo, average airfares for Delhi - Kolkata and Chennai - Kolkata routes have declined by 28 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively, while those from Bengaluru are down by 25 per cent. For example, the ticket price for a Delhi -Kolkata flight, which was sold for ₹9,869 last year, is now available for ₹7,127 when booked 45 - 50 days in advance. Group CEO of ixigo, Rajnish Kumar, said this is the perfect time for travellers to take advantage of the low fares.

Others in the travel industry said customers are still in the wait-and-watch mode.

"Typically, 70 per cent of domestic flight bookings to Kolkata are done two months before Durga Puja. This year, such advance bookings have reached only 40 - 50 per cent," said Mohammed Allauddin, managing director of Kolkata-based Chandni Travel Group.

"The heinous incident at RG Kar Hospital and ongoing protests have created apprehensions about safety. As such, customers are adopting a wait-and-watch attitude regarding their bookings. This includes NRIs and foreign tourists. We appeal to the government to give justice to the victim," said Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) committee member Anil Punjabi. TAFI has also distributed special badges to its members in support of the cause.

An another key reason for lower airfares is the increase in capacity. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, daily domestic departures from Kolkata have increased 10 per cent year-on-year to 190. The highest addition is seen on the Kolkata- Bengaluru route followed by destinations like Chennai and Jaipur.

Dampened spirits

Over 2,700 community pujas are held in Kolkata and its suburbs each year. For some big community puja budgets run into crores and planning begins months in advance.

This time around, however, puja organisers are divided over the scale of celebrations in view of public sentiment.

“People are showing no enthusiasm towards Durga Puja festivities this time. No person at our organisation is bothered about how Puja preparations are going. We are waiting for justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the persons involved in the crime. So, we have cut down our budget substantially, to the bare minimum,” said Debasish Bhattacharjee, executive committee member of the Kumartuli Sarbojanin Durgotsav, one of the oldest community pujas in North Kolkata.

Kolkata’s major shopping hubs -- from Gariahat in south to Shyambazar in the north -- as well as malls, which generally buzz with shoppers, have worn a deserted look so far, reflecting the current mood.

Blow to livelihoods

Even as the popular sentiment has pushed Durga Puja plans to the back burner, others state that cancellation or scaling down celebrations will translate to financial loss.

“We are fully supporting the protestors. We want severe punishment for the perpetrators as soon as possible. CBI is probing into the case. But, Durga Puja is not only a festival, it has become a big industry which provides livelihood to lakhs of people. If community pujas are not organised, many people will suffer financially. One will also have to consider this aspect. We had organised pujas during Covid times,” said Saswata Basu, general secretary of Forum For Durgotsab, a major organisation of community Durga Pujas in Kolkata and suburbs.

“Moreover, big community puja organisers start planning for the pandals and idols from the beginning of the year. So, it would be difficult for them to hold back planned expenditures,” Basu added.

Related Topics