Kolkata airport handled around 3.5 lakh passengers between Sasthi and Dashami this year, trailing last year’s 3.6 lakh and 2024’s 4 lakh. Kolkata: Puja vacations are not over yet for thousands of travellers although Durga Puja has drawn to a close. Holidaymakers have stretched their breaks till the Lakshmi Puja long weekend and have deferred their return to the city accordingly.
“Had airfares not shot up so much at the start of the festive season, the footfall could have been higher,” said Anil Punjabi, national committee member of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), east. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata
Flights to Bagdogra climbed more than 50% to Rs 7,200–Rs 8,500 while bus tickets to Siliguri surged from the usual Rs 1,600–Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000–Rs 4,500 over the weekend. Air travel to Kolkata was also expensive, with one-way fares on Sasthi reaching Rs 18,000 from Mumbai, Rs 15,700 from Bengaluru, Rs 14,800 from Bhubaneswar and Rs 14,500 from Delhi. Many office-goers have taken leave through the weekend, extending trips that began with Durga Puja. For many, the festival meant a homecoming followed by a holiday. Dhakuria resident Sreetama Roy flew in from Noida with her husband and daughter on Sasthi to celebrate with family and friends. High fares, however, remained a deterrent.
With most govt offices and private schools scheduled to reopen on Monday, after Lakshmi Puja, the return rush is expected to be spread across Saturday and Sunday. After spending Nabami in the city, the family left for Visakhapatnam and is due back on Saturday. Roy will return to Noida on Sunday.