Planning to go to Kolkata for Pujo this year? Here's what to expect

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport of Kolkata. (Photo by Ankan via Wikimedia Commons 4.0)

Come September and the City of Joy is brimming with excitement, hope and renewed enthusiasm - a lot of people are homebound, and Kolkata airport seems to be readying itself for the busiest time of the year - Durga Pujo.

Unlike Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore, Kolkata airport is run by the Airport Authority of India, and currently operates a single terminal that caters to passengers, making it slightly difficult during heavy rush. With increased fuel prices and taxes on the rise, it’s a difficult situation to manoeuvre.

Currently, on any given day, the airport experiences a footfall of around 50,000 passengers. During Pujo, it is expected to shoot up to 70,000 passengers per day, if not more.

With Covid restrictions lifted, this year seems to be replete with hopes of homecoming, something that wasn’t possible since 2020, although 2021 did see a sharp spike in travellers.

Also read: Efforts on to develop tourism in Bengal, 10-day Durga puja package will be on offer: Minister

For a lot of city dwellers, this is also the perfect time to head out for a vacation – with both domestic and international travel on the cards, flights are fully booked, queues are longer and it's become even harder to hail cabs outside the airport.

Debopam Das, a resident of Delhi NCR who bought his ticket for Kolkata on August 30, said, “The prices of tickets are through the roof – especially around October 1st and 2nd. I am glad I bought it now, although I paid INR 8,400 to fly Vistara. If you travel via another city or take the flights around midnight, the rates might vary a wee bit, but they’re still pretty steep.”

This year, pujo is likely to be even bigger than usual - the festival was added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in December 2021, and UNESCO Director Eric Falt and his team are visiting the city for the celebrations.

Pujo begins on October 1. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced a month-long Durga Pujo celebration that began on September 1, with a mega rally in Central Kolkata. The city police have been prepping for the same, and restrictions have been imposed on parking on certain roads and a time schedule for traffic to ply on Red Road has been issued.

Since a lot of people fly down to Kolkata during this time, the airport authorities are expecting a sizeable number of foreigners, but the lack of direct flights to Kolkata may affect the tally. After Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific and British Airways stopped plying, Kolkata is left with no direct flights to and from Europe, Australia, and South Africa.

According to a 2021 report in The Times of India, 2021 witnessed “a spike of 57% more travellers during Pujo as 25,294 passengers flew in and around 21,899 people used the airport to fly out. The second highest passenger count was recorded on Tritiya when 25,465 flew in and 21,603 passengers flew out.”

Ritwik Ganguly, customer service officer for Indigo, shares, “Pujo witnesses a lot of travel both in and out of the country. Talking of domestic travel, people like travelling to Assam, Shillong, Sikkim, Siliguri, Meghalaya, Jammu, Leh, Goa, Bagdogra, Gujarat, and Kerala. Internationally, Maldives is turning out to be quite the hotspot. People also travel to Singapore, Bangkok, and Vietnam.”

Indigo operates 100 flights (a mix of domestic and international) from Kolkata and is expecting a higher load which hints at higher fares and packed flights. The ground staff is expecting flyers to reach mid-September (between 15th and 20th); however, the last passengers to fly in for Pujo usually arrive between Panchami and Sashti (this year these are on September 30 and October 1, respectively).

With higher footfall expected this easier, fares could rise closer to the Pujo dates. Keeping everything in mind, we do suggest booking your tickets, STAT!