KOLKATA: Two separate petitions were filed in the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday challenging a notification issued by Kolkata Police (KP) closing Red Road, the city's main thoroughfare, from Tuesday for preparations for the International Yoga Day event, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend on Sunday.
Another petition challenged a West Bengal government order making it compulsory for employees to perform yoga on Sunday morning, whether at Red Road, Milan Mela, government offices or their "place of stay".
A lawyers' organisation has moved the High Court against the KP traffic notification, while the CPI(M)-backed government employees' union, State Coordination Committee, has challenged the government order.
As part of preparations for the International Yoga Day event on June 21, KP issued a notification closing Red Road in the heart of Kolkata from Tuesday. The road will remain shut to traffic until the event concludes. One flank of the road remained open on Monday.
According to KP sources, 11 marathons will be organised from 11 locations across the city on June 19, while another event will be held at Prinsep Ghat and Millennium Park on June 20.
With Red Road closed, traffic in both directions is being diverted through alternate routes across the city.
Senior police officers said this would be the longest shutdown of Red Road in recent years. On Monday, a giant dais was seen being erected in the middle of the road, while vehicles were being allowed through the other flank towards Raj Bhavan.
Red Road has rarely been closed for such an extended period. In 2016, it remained shut from May 23 to May 29 to facilitate preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after her second consecutive electoral victory.
The road has also been closed for Republic Day and Independence Day parades, as well as the state's Durga Puja carnival, though such restrictions generally lasted only a few hours or a day.
Earlier this year, the BJP-led state government prohibited Eid prayers on Red Road, citing the need to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement. The prayers were shifted to the nearby Brigade Parade Grounds. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had then stated that no religion was above the law.
Meanwhile, a state government order has made participation in Yoga Day activities compulsory for government employees on Sunday morning, whether at Red Road, Milan Mela, government offices or their "place of stay".
The order, issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal on June 14, stated that all officers and employees, including permanent, contractual, part-time, daily-wage and outsourced workers, as well as personnel engaged on an honorarium basis in government departments, PSUs, autonomous bodies and local bodies, must participate in the programme from 6.30 am to 7.45 am.
It further directed all heads of departments, divisional commissioners, district magistrates and other heads of offices to ensure participation of all personnel without fail.
The directive has left many employees scrambling to rearrange their schedules.
A state government employee from Bagnan in Howrah district, who works in central Kolkata, said reaching office at such an early hour would be "nearly impossible".
"I am planning to spend Saturday night at a friend's place and go to the office from there on Sunday. But the compulsory attendance order is absurd," he said.
However, uncertainty continues to prevail among employees over the implementation of the order.
