I feel we as Calcuttans should grow. If we can accept Kolkata instead of Calcutta. If we can accept to being Kolkatans then why we cannot shift the grand carnival of annual Book Fair away from already choking maidan and central kolkata. I agree book fair is our heritage. But we should understand that both book fair and maidan are our heritage and both should be protected. Sadly for us, the state of affairs do not allow them to co-exist. So it is better to divorce them where after they can exist happily ever after.
A grand carnival like book fair attracts business and it also attracts numerous difficulties. Try passing the maidan area during book fair days by bus and you will understand what i mean. Even you if you are not a part of fair, don't intend to go to the fair, you will have to suffer the long traffic snarls for no fault of yours. Heritage is not this taxing. Even inside the fair the atmosphere is choking. Maidan is no longer a green piece of land and millions of hoofs spreading dust, eateries spewing smoke and garbage, make shift toilets adding manure to maidan is all what you will notice first.
So the next question is if not maidan then where??? People are suggesting EM Bypass. Is some one nuts or crazy?? You mean shift all the madness to EM Bypass so the time when people are moving out and into Salt lake they suffer the same as people traveling from and to central kolkata used to?? Is it their time to suffer now??
I feel its time for Book Fair to move indoors. We too like Delhi book fair should move to indoors like Pragati Maidan. But we don't have any such place in Kolkata?? I know. So what the Booksellers and Publisher guild wants?? A free lunch?? Why cant they contribute and construct a book plaza kind of thing. Book fair can continue all year round and would be much more sleek and enjoyable.