Court questions Kolkata's week-long Red Road closure ahead of PM's Yoga Day event

Kolkata,UPDATED: Jun 18, 2026 15:01 IST

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday questioned the West Bengal government over the decision to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi's International Yoga Day programme on Kolkata's Red Road, while directing authorities to ensure that traffic movement and access to the High Court are not disrupted during the road closure.

During the hearing of a petition filed by the All India Lawyers' Association, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya asked the state's counsel why the event was not being held at the Brigade Parade Ground instead of Red Road.

The main arterial road in central Kolkata has been closed to all traffic, including pedestrians, from June 14 to June 21.

Responding to the court's query, Additional Advocate General Bilwadal Bhattacharyya said the petition was not maintainable as the petitioner was a resident of Uttarpara and had no connection with commuting through Red Road.

He said police were already managing traffic through alternative routes and argued that holding the programme at Brigade Parade Ground could pose security risks, as the Prime Minister's security is handled by the Special Protection Group (SPG).

The court was hearing concerns over the closure of Red Road ahead of the Prime Minister's Yoga Day programme scheduled for Sunday.

Senior lawyer and CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, appearing during the proceedings, argued that Red Road had been closed for seven days because of the June 21 event.

He contended that there would have been no problem had 50 per cent of the road remained open for traffic and said lawyers were currently being forced to take longer routes to reach the High Court.

In its order, the court directed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to make alternative arrangements, if necessary, to ensure that lawyers travelling to the High Court and general traffic movement are not affected while Red Road remains closed.

Justice Bhattacharyya said care must be taken to ensure that High Court staff and lawyers can reach the court on time. The court also directed that alternative arrangements be made for daily commuters during the period of the road closure so that residents do not face inconvenience in reaching their destinations.

The judge further ordered that the road be cleared immediately after the event concludes and directed that the Army be made a party to the case. The next hearing has been scheduled for June 24.

Meanwhile, TMC MP Mahua Moitra targeted BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari over the closure of Kolkata's Red Road for the International Day of Yoga celebrations, noting that Bakrid prayers had been shifted from the venue to the nearby Brigade Parade Ground to avoid disrupting traffic.

"Not one hour for Eid prayers, but a whole week for Yoga Day celebrations," Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra tweeted.

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Inputs from Anoop Mishra