Kolkata: With sudden and localised showers continuing to disrupt preparations for Durga Puja, organisers across the city are taking precautions to protect pandals, installations and workers as the countdown to the festival enters its final phase. Idols being transported from Kumartuli to pandals are also being wrapped in protective gear to shield them from rain, adding to the logistical challenges of moving the large idols through the city.Several Puja committees, including Maddox Square, Hatibagan Sarbojanin, Md Ali Park, Kumartuli Sarbojanin, Chorebagan, Chetla Agrani and Thakurpukur SB Park, have taken measures to protect their pandals and materials from the weather.“On Sunday, we stopped work when it started raining. It took the rest of the day for the area to dry up. This is causing delay but we do not want to put our workers at risk,” said Bikash Majumdar, chief organiser of the College Square Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee.Organisers of several pujas being held in parks and open grounds have opted to cover their venues to ensure that work can continue despite the unpredictable weather. At Chorebagan Sarbojanin in Radha Madhab Saha Lane, the entire park has been covered with tarpaulin. “We were racing against time to complete the preparations. To avoid any further damage, we have covered the entire place so that work can be completed without any damage to our pandal and other installations,” said Raj Kumar Sewda, secretary of the puja committee.The precautions come as idol-makers remain under pressure to complete deliveries. Artisans had to cover idols during sudden showers and use pedestal fans to dry paint, even as they work on the final stages of painting and finishing the idols. Once completed, the idols have to be transported to pandals, making sudden showers a further complication.With deliveries due in the next few days and preparations at pandals entering the final stretch, organisers and artisans are now keeping a close watch on the weather.At Baguiati Railpukur United Club, organisers have covered the entire outdoor area, while the idol, which was shifted to the pandal recently, has also been kept under cover, said Gourab Biswas of the organising committee.
