West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on September 7, announced a series of new guidelines for Durga Puja celebrations scheduled to begin next month. The measures cover sound systems, liquor sales, idol immersion, traffic management and financial support for puja committees.
The announcement came after Adhikari held a meeting with Durga Puja organising committees to review preparations and arrangements for the festival. He said the government wanted the celebrations to retain their religious sanctity while reflecting Bengal’s cultural traditions.
According to the chief minister, the festival will be organised with an emphasis on tradition and devotion, bringing together what he described as Sanskritic and Bengali cultural traditions.
Complete DJ ban during visarjan
One of the most prominent decisions announced by the government is a complete ban on DJs during the idol immersion process.
Adhikari said DJs would not be permitted during visarjan, citing the need to ensure that the immersion process does not cause inconvenience to devotees or disrupt public movement.
The decision is expected to affect the way large processions accompanying Durga idols are conducted across the state, particularly in areas where immersion processions traditionally feature amplified music and large sound systems.
The chief minister also said cranes would not be permitted at immersion ghats, indicating that the administration intends to impose tighter controls over the logistical arrangements surrounding visarjan.
Liquor shops to remain closed on Ashtami
The government has also announced restrictions on liquor sales during Durga Puja. Adhikari said liquor shops across the state would remain closed on Ashtami, one of the most important days of the five-day festival.
The move is part of the government’s broader emphasis on keeping the celebrations centred around religious observance and traditional practices.
Durga Puja is not only Bengal’s biggest religious festival but also one of its most significant cultural and social events. Large crowds gather at pandals throughout Kolkata and other parts of the state, making crowd management, public safety and traffic regulation key concerns for the administration.
Government grant of Rs 1 lakh for smaller puja committees
The state government has also announced financial assistance for smaller Durga Puja committees that struggle to meet the expenses involved in organising the festival.
According to Adhikari, eligible smaller puja committees will receive a government grant of ₹1 lakh.
At the same time, the chief minister appealed to financially stronger and larger puja committees to decline government assistance if they are capable of organising their celebrations independently.
Adhikari also criticised the previous Trinamool Congress government for providing grants to all puja committees, arguing that government support should instead be focused on committees that genuinely require financial assistance.
The move represents a shift in the government’s approach to funding community celebrations, with greater emphasis being placed on helping smaller organisers.
No road or national highway blockades for puja
Traffic management is another major component of the new guidelines.
Adhikari made it clear that roads and national highways cannot be blocked unnecessarily for Durga Puja-related activities. He said puja celebrations should not be conducted in a manner that prevents ordinary movement or creates prolonged disruption for commuters.
The directive is particularly significant in urban and densely populated areas, where pandals, processions and large gatherings can lead to substantial traffic congestion during the festival.
The administration is expected to coordinate with local authorities and puja committees to ensure that celebrations take place without compromising public access and transportation.
Mahalaya programme at Eden Gardens
The government has also planned a major event to mark Mahalaya, which traditionally marks the beginning of the countdown to Durga Puja.
Adhikari said the West Bengal Tourism Department would organise what he described as its biggest Mahalaya programme at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The event will run for around four hours and will include a drone show, along with cultural programming.
The initiative is expected to add a major public spectacle to the festival calendar while also highlighting Bengal’s cultural heritage and strengthening the tourism dimension of Durga Puja.
Red road Durga Puja carnival discontinued
The BJP-led government has also discontinued the Durga Puja carnival traditionally held on Kolkata’s Red Road.
The carnival was introduced during the tenure of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and became a prominent annual event showcasing award-winning Durga idols and puja committees.
The decision marks a significant change in the state’s approach to organising official Durga Puja celebrations. The previous administration’s festival arrangements had also drawn political criticism, particularly around decisions concerning idol immersion dates and restrictions during the Muharram period.
Adhikari’s government has sought to present the new arrangements as a return to traditional religious celebrations and a greater focus on the rights of devotees.
‘No one should have to approach High Court for Durga Puja’
Speaking about the government’s approach to religious celebrations, Adhikari said devotees should not have to seek judicial intervention simply to conduct Durga Puja.
He invoked the constitutional protection of religious practice and criticised what he described as arrangements imposed in previous years in the name of organising a carnival.
The chief minister said such a system would not continue this year, signalling a clear departure from the previous administration’s model of combining the traditional puja celebrations with a large government-backed carnival.
His comments are likely to add a political dimension to the changes, given the long-running differences between the BJP and the TMC over religious festivals, public celebrations and government policy in Bengal.
Durga Puja 2026 to begin on October 10
Durga Puja will begin in West Bengal on October 10, 2026, and is expected to draw millions of devotees and tourists to Kolkata and other parts of the state.
The festival has grown far beyond its religious origins to become a major cultural, artistic and tourism event. Kolkata’s elaborate pandals, artistic idols, cultural programmes and night-time celebrations attract visitors from across India and abroad.
With the 2026 festival approaching, the new guidelines indicate that the state government is seeking a more regulated celebration, particularly in areas involving noise, alcohol consumption, traffic, immersion arrangements and public safety.
