Kolkata: Amid rising COVID cases and the Omicron threat, a massive crowd of visitors was seen at the Christmas Festival in Kolkata’s Park Street on Saturday (December 25). Photos from the festival surfaced online where a huge rush of people was seen at Park Street. The photos showed many people flouting COVID-19 guidelines like wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing. - Christmas Eve 2021: Kolkata's Park Street Lit Up, 50-Feet Tall Xmas Tree Installed. See Pics

Due to the overcrowding, traffic was suspended for a few hours on Saturday evening.

With the night restrictions withdrawn for celebrations, police were already bracing for a good turnout at the festival on Christmas Eve and Christmas day and deployed extra personnel for managing the crowds. Traffic restrictions were also planned in the area for the revellers.

Taffic was suspended due to the overcrowing at Park Street.

Photo: Traffic was suspended due to the overcrowing at Park Street.

Park Street, which is considered a must-visit destination in Kolkata for every reveller, came alive with multihued Christmas lights, with many restaurants dishing put special menus on the occasion.



Several musical programmes were lined up at Allen Park and its vicinity. A 54-foot tall Christmas tree, placed next to a premium hotel in Park Street, grabbed eyeballs as many people were seen clicking its pictures.

Physical distancing also went for a toss in several other places in Kolkata on Christmas as people were seen thronging the city’s hotspots, such as the Alipore zoo and the Eco Park, without masks.