A proposed Kolkata protest march by the Trinamool Congress’s student and youth wings could disrupt traffic across Rajabazar, CIT Road and Park Circus on Tuesday, as the city prepares for rising crowds during the Durga Puja season.
The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 pm and has been described by the party as a “massive protest march” against the Centre and the Election Commission. Organisers plan to march from Rajabazar to Park Circus after the party held a demonstration in New Delhi a day earlier.
The protest is linked to the Trinamool Congress’s demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and its opposition to recent developments surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The party has also said it will protest against the detention of Mamata Banerjee in Delhi and what it described as the repression of opposition leaders.
Kunal Ghosh, a party spokesperson, said he would join the march but was uncertain whether Mamata Banerjee would participate because of her engagements in Delhi. He also said he was not sure whether the party had obtained police permission, adding that it would be safe to presume that the organisers would not receive the “green signal” from the police.
The lack of clarity over permission places the proposed march alongside the city’s existing festival-season traffic pressures. Rajabazar, CIT Road and Park Circus are busy urban corridors, and movement through these areas is expected to remain high as residents travel to pandals and as inauguration programmes take place across Kolkata.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari criticised the choice of route and accused the opposition of joining hands with what he called “Dimagi Naxals” and anti-national forces. He also alleged a “deep state” conspiracy behind protests related to the electoral-roll revision. These allegations were made in response to the proposed political mobilisation.
Party leaders and workers began mobilising support on Monday, contacting cadres across Kolkata. Mamata Banerjee has appealed to the party’s student, youth, trade union and women’s wings to participate. Adhikari is also scheduled to inaugurate several Durga Puja pandals in the city on Tuesday, adding to the number of planned public activities during the day.
The report did not specify any traffic diversion plan, police deployment or formal permission for the march. The immediate operational question for commuters is therefore whether authorities issue route restrictions or alternative traffic arrangements before the rally begins.
