Kolkata: The capital of West Bengal witnessed a significant shift in logistics for Eid al-Adha prayers on Thursday, as the traditional congregational namaz was relocated to the Brigade Parade Ground instead of its customary Red Road venue for the first time in decades.

The transition marks the first instance in years that the seasonal prayers were absent from Red Road. Historically, the location hosted massive bi-annual gatherings for both Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha under successive regional administrations, spanning the Left Front’s governance from 1977 to 2011 and the Trinamool Congress’s tenure from 2011 to 2026.

During the Trinamool Congress administration, then-Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee routinely attended the Red Road ceremonies. In prior eras, the utilisation of major public thoroughfares for large-scale religious assemblies frequently caused severe traffic gridlock throughout central Kolkata.

The structural modification extended citywide on Thursday, with municipal authorities ensuring that no Eid al-Adha prayers were conducted on open roads, eliminating the traffic disruptions that characterised previous holiday cycles.

Security Protocols and Aerial Surveillance

The Kolkata Police Department instituted comprehensive security frameworks across the municipality, focusing heavily on the Brigade Parade Ground and its peripheral sectors to preserve public order during the festivities.

Law enforcement agencies deployed auxiliary personnel across the city, establishing a heightened presence near prominent mosques, while utilising unmanned drones to maintain continuous aerial surveillance over the central congregations.

The logistical realignment directly follows policy changes enacted by newly inaugurated West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Upon taking the oath of office, Adhikari declared that the incoming state administration would prohibit public roadways from being utilised for religious gatherings, citing the widespread public inconvenience generated by systemic traffic congestion.

Jurisdictional Decisions and Political Shifts

The practical execution of the new administrative policy was visible across the city on Thursday, as organisers adjusted to the formal relocation away from Red Road to the alternative military-administered grounds.

The venue change also resolves a long-standing jurisdictional discussion. Last year, the Headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army, which retains administrative sovereignty over the Red Road area, formally requested that the Khilafat Committee secure an alternative site for the Eid assemblies, citing heightened security vulnerabilities.

While Banerjee had previously pledged to negotiate with Eastern Command leadership to secure a continuation of the permits, her administration concluded following her party's defeat in the recent state elections. As a consequence of the political transition, the holiday prayers were successfully redirected to the Brigade Parade Ground.

With inputs from IANS