Red Road closure for Yoga-Day to continue; HC orders complete reopening after event ends

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday scrutinized the administrative decision to shut down Kolkata's crucial Red Road for an entire week ahead of the International Yoga Day celebrations. Justice Saugata Bhattacharya questioned the necessity of the prolonged blockade, which was initiated to facilitate preparations for the June 21 event scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the bench ultimately refused to issue an interim stay on the traffic notification, it directed the local police administration to actively implement alternative traffic blueprints to prevent public harassment and ensure commuters can reach their workplaces without severe delays.

The legal challenge was brought forward by a local lawyers' association, which argued that the Kolkata Police Commissioner exceeded constitutional and administrative bounds by barring all pedestrian and vehicular traffic from June 14 to June 21. Representing the petitioners, Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya emphasized that Red Road serves as a vital arterial lifeline for professionals traveling to the High Court and the central business district. The petitioners contended that while blocking the road on the actual day of the event was understandable, paralyzing one of the city's busiest stretches for a week under the guise of preparatory work lacked rational justification.

Defending the state's decision, Additional Advocate General Billwadal Bhattacharya argued that the restriction was mandatory due to rigid security protocols mandated by the Special Protection Group (SPG) for the Prime Minister's visit. The state further noted that the land belongs to the Indian Army, which had already cleared the venue layout. When Justice Bhattacharya pointedly asked why the neighboring Brigade Parade Ground could not have been used instead to minimize public disruption, the state maintained that extensive security infrastructure and global broadcasting arrangements necessitated the current layout. The Court disposed of the interim relief plea by ordering the state to completely restore the road for public use immediately after the event ends on June 21.