Kolkata Travel Advisory for Durga Puja 2026: Kolkata’s Durga Puja becomes an enormous open-air art gallery that brings millions of visitors during the festival, and the exciting event makes the city come alive. However, in order to move around comfortably and safely in the huge crowds and avoid violating traffic rules, certain preparation is needed. For a comfortable, smooth, and hassle-free festival celebration, the Kolkata Police, Eastern Railway, and Metro Railway of Kolkata take certain measures for travellers during the festival period.

Durga Puja 2026 Kolkata Travel Advisory: Important Things To Know

Below is your complete travel guide for Durga Puja 2026 for this Durga Puja to celebrate with joy and devotion in Kolkata.

1. Road Closures and Traffic Diversions

Traffic regulations in Kolkata are implemented by Kolkata Police by making many roads either one-way or pedestrian roads between 3:00 PM and 4:00 AM between Saptami and Dashami:

  1. Major roads such as Central Avenue, Rashbehari Avenue, Gariahat Road, and Shyambazar Five-Point Crossing impose restrictions on the movement of vehicles in the vicinity of major pandals.
  2. Strict traffic regulation exists on roads such as E.M. Bypass, AJC Bose Road Flyover, and Diamond Harbour Road.

2. Kolkata Police Deployment and Assistance Booths

More than 20,000 police force members are positioned all over the city with radio patrol vehicles and QRTs. Police Assistance Booths, Medical Kiosks, and Missing Child Desks can be found in areas of high foot traffic such as Park Circus, Chetla, North Kolkata, and Gariahat.

3. Kolkata Metro Timings During Durga Puja 2026

Kolkata Metro continues to be the quickest mode of transport for Durga Puja, which provides round-the-clock service (operates till 4:00 AM or round the clock during peak time):

  • Blue Line (North-South route): Major stops include Dum Dum, Shyambazar, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kalighat, and Rabindra Sarobar.
  • Green Line (Howrah to Sealdah / Salt Lake route): Direct connectivity between Howrah Station and Salt Lake Sector V pandals across the Hooghly River.

4. Cabs, Taxis and Auto-Rikshaws

App-Based Cabs and Taxis: Uber, Ola, and Yellow Taxis face strict access boundaries near pandals. Expect surge pricing and designated drop-off points 500 meters to 1 km away from major venues.
Auto-Rickshaws: Auto routes run on fixed festive fares, but service may freeze on narrow routes experiencing heavy foot traffic.

5. Airfare and Train Travel Advisory

Trains: Eastern Railway operates special midnight suburban local trains from Howrah and Sealdah. Book local train tickets via the UTS app to avoid long counter queues.
Air Travel: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) experiences high inward traffic. Book flights well in advance, and allow at least 2.5 hours to reach the airport from South/Central Kolkata due to night diversions.

Essential Durga Puja Safety Tips For Women

Pink Patrol and Winner Teams: All-women police units ("Winners") patrol high-density pandal zones and public transit hubs for safety.
Helpline Numbers: Save emergency contacts: 1091 (Women's Helpline), 100 / 112 (Police Emergency), and Kolkata Police WhatsApp helpline (9830088888).
Travel Smart: Stick to well-lit main arterial routes, travel in groups late at night, and keep your phone fully charged.

What Women Should Know Before Visiting Kolkata's Durga Puja Pandals

Journeying around Kolkata in the festive season of Durga Puja is easy by using the 24-hour Kolkata Metro services as well as following the guidelines provided by the traffic police. Plan your trip, and keep some emergency contact numbers handy for an awesome Sharadotsav celebration.

(Image credit: Pinterest)

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