In terms of Christmas crowds, Eco Park in New Town won the top title, leaving everyone behind. On Thursday, 51,596 people visited there. The zoo comes next with 44,654 people. Eco Park authorities claim that if Christmas had fallen on Sunday instead of Thursday, the crowd would have been even larger. This is because while government employees had a holiday on this day, many private organisations' offices remained open. December 28 is a Sunday. Eco Park authorities hope that the number of visitors will exceed one lakh on that day.
Madhab Dutta from Sodpur came to Eco Park on this day with his son. In his words, "I come to Eco Park every Christmas. This year too, the day was wonderful."
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There were noticeable crowds at Eco Park's Eco Duo cycle, tri-cycle, toy train, and paddle boats. From morning, crowds had descended on Aquatica Water Park and Nicco Park in Salt Lake as well.
Beyond familiar destinations, the museum at Alipore Correctional Home, built a few years ago, has also emerged as a preferred choice. According to government sources, many people also crowded the museum in Alipore, the Aircraft Museum in New Town, and the Mother Wax Museum on this day.
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But why were zoo visitors comparatively fewer?
Usually, the population here exceeds 60 thousand on Christmas. Last year, too, more than 69 thousand people came to the zoo. The confusion among the general public regarding the zoo's weekly holiday is believed to be the reason behind the reduced number of visitors on this day. However, Alipore Zoo authorities had already announced through their website that despite December 25, 2025, being a Thursday, the zoo would remain open. But the zoo was shown as 'closed' on various online platforms. As a result, many people did not come, according to the zoo officials.
The city's multiplexes also saw good crowds. Long queues were seen at restaurants throughout the day, especially in the evening. Crowds were noticeable from the afternoon at Park Street and the Bow Barracks area.
