Elliott Park Kolkata: View-blockers removed after Suvendu Adhikari order
Synopsis
West Bengal's new CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered the removal of tin fences that blocked public views of Elliott Park in Kolkata — barriers erected during Mamata Banerjee's tenure to shield her morning walks from public sight. The move, backed by before-and-after photos posted on social media, is as much a political statement as an administrative one.
Key Takeaways
Elliott Park in central Kolkata had its view-blocking tin fences removed from Thursday, 6 August .
The order was issued by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari , with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) executing the removal.
The tin barricade had been erected during former CM Mamata Banerjee 's tenure to shield her morning walks from public view, according to Adhikari.
Adhikari posted comparative before-and-after photographs on social media, indirectly criticising his predecessor without naming her.
The removal has been welcomed by morning walkers and civil society, who had long criticised the fence for blocking public access to the park's greenery.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered the removal of high tin fences that had long blocked public views of Elliott Park in central Kolkata, with the barricades coming down from Thursday, 6 August. The park, located along Chowringhee Road in the Maidan area, had been cordoned off during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who used it for her morning walks.
What Changed at Elliott Park
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) carried out the removal of the view-blocking tin fence on the side of the park facing Chowringhee Road, restoring open visual access to the park's greenery for residents and morning walkers. Chief Minister Adhikari thanked the KMC for executing the order promptly.
Adhikari posted comparative photographs on his social media account showing the park before and after the removal — one set depicting the tall tin enclosure, the other showing the park's restored open frontage.
What the Chief Minister Said
'The natural beauty, greenery, and picturesque views of Elliott Park in the Maidan had, until now, been completely hidden from ordinary people by a high tin fence on the side facing Chowringhee Road. This was done so that an honourable dignitary in the previous regime would not be seen by the general public when she used to go for her morning walk there,' Adhikari said in his post.
Without naming his predecessor directly, Adhikari added: 'The wealth of the people should remain open for the people.'
Background: Years of Public Criticism
The decision to erect the tin barricade around Elliott Park had drawn sustained criticism from morning walkers, civil society members, and the general public at the time it was installed. Critics argued that the enclosure destroyed the park's open aesthetic, denied citizens access to its greenery, and effectively converted a public space into a private amenity for a sitting chief minister.
This is not the first time a change of government in West Bengal has prompted a visible reversal of a predecessor's administrative decisions — such symbolic moves often carry significant political messaging in the state.
Public Response
The removal of the fences has been welcomed by morning walkers and residents of central Kolkata, who say the park's open character has been restored. The Maidan area, one of the city's most prominent green lungs, draws large numbers of walkers and joggers daily, and Elliott Park's visibility from Chowringhee Road was considered a key part of its public appeal.
With the barricades now gone, the park's tree line and lawns are once again visible from the road — a change that, while modest in scale, has resonated strongly with locals who had long objected to the original enclosure.
Point of View
On its face, a minor civic act — but in West Bengal's charged political climate, it is a deliberate and pointed message. Adhikari's decision to post before-and-after photographs and frame the move as restoring 'the wealth of the people' signals that the new administration intends to use even routine governance decisions as contrasts with the Trinamool Congress era. The original barricade was itself a failure of civic accountability — a public park converted into a private corridor for a sitting chief minister, with the public left to object in silence. Whether this symbolic reset translates into substantive change in how Kolkata's public spaces are managed remains to be seen.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were tin fences erected around Elliott Park in Kolkata?
The tin fences were installed during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to prevent the public from seeing her during her morning walks at the park, according to current CM Suvendu Adhikari. The barricades blocked the park's view from Chowringhee Road and drew widespread public criticism at the time.
Who ordered the removal of the view-blockers at Elliott Park?
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered the removal, and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) carried out the work. The fences were taken down from Thursday, 6 August.
Where is Elliott Park located in Kolkata?
Elliott Park is located in the Maidan area of central Kolkata, on the side facing Chowringhee Road — one of the city's most prominent thoroughfares and green spaces.
How did the public react to the fence removal?
The removal has been widely welcomed by morning walkers, residents, and civil society members in Kolkata. Many had previously criticised the original barricade for destroying the park's open character and denying citizens access to its greenery.
Did Suvendu Adhikari directly name Mamata Banerjee in his post?
No. Adhikari referred to 'an honourable dignitary in the previous regime' without naming former CM Mamata Banerjee directly, though the reference was widely understood to be about her.
