Fireworks display on Old Digha beach to usher in new year
Times of India | 27 December 2025
Digha: The Digha Sankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) has suspended the "Olympic-style" musical fireworks display scheduled for Dec 31 following concerns of safety in the wake of a huge surge in tourists at the seaside town. Instead, the Digha Sankarpur Hoteliers' Association will host a scaled-down version of the show near Gholaghat in Old Digha to preserve the festive spirit without compromising public safety.
The DSDA had planned the massive fireworks as part of the New Year's Eve celebrations supported by a budget of Rs 20 lakh. But they backtracked due to administrative concerns over the massive influx of visitors. Sushanta Patra, joint secretary of the hoteliers' association, confirmed on Friday that while the Digha Beach Festival and other scheduled programmes on Dec 30 and 31 would proceed as planned, the fireworks event had been modified. "The massive display we initially envisioned has been cancelled due to crowd management concerns. Instead, the association will organise a smaller show near Gholaghat," Patra stated.
The display is scheduled to start at 11.55 pm on Dec 31 and conclude at 12.10 am on Jan 1. To adhere to environmental norms, only green crackers will be used. High-decibel sound crackers have been strictly prohibited. Organisers have promised a stunning visual experience with fireworks reflecting off the sea waves.
Purnendu Maji, a senior official of DSDA, clarified that the authority's primary focus remains on infrastructure and safety. "DSDA has decorated Digha with festive lights and is overseeing administrative and security arrangements for tourists. But DSDA is not associated with any fireworks display this year," he said.
Despite the reduction in the scale of the show, the hotel industry remains optimistic it will provide a memorable start to the new year for the thousands of tourists expected to descend on the seaside town.