Kolkata’s bridges and busy road junctions are receiving a festive makeover ahead of Durga Puja, with the Bengal government using colourful designs and traditional Bengali alpona motifs to beautify prominent public spaces. The work is intended to give the city a celebratory appearance before the festival.

Gariahat bridge has been painted in pink, orange and yellow, while large alpona patterns have appeared beneath the Park Circus connector and at prominent intersections, including Garia More. The beautification drive also covers Red Road, and ghats along the Hooghly river are being decorated.

Inspecting work at Gariahat bridge, Bengal urban development minister Agnimitra Paul said the designs symbolised brotherhood, love and public trust. She said the initiative represented roads of brotherhood, love and trust, placing the public artwork within a wider message of social cooperation.

Paul said artists from minority communities were working alongside Hindu artists, particularly at Park Circus, to create the designs. She described their collaboration as an illustration of communal harmony and a gesture of trust between communities, noting that the artwork was being created at a location that had previously seen unrest, fires and attacks on police personnel and vehicles.

The minister also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas, while presenting the project as an example of cooperation. She said Rashbehari and Park Street crossings would also be decorated if time allowed.

Alpona is a traditional Bengali decorative art featuring ritual motifs and is commonly used during festivals and auspicious occasions. Its use on bridges, roads and junctions forms part of the government’s effort to add a festive character to Kolkata ahead of Durga Puja.