Kolkata: The international Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF) this year will come with three commuter-friendly additions — a dedicated metro ticket booth on the fair ground between gate numbers 1 and 2, an app cab booth outside gate 1, and increased metro frequency on the Green Line (Sector V-Howrah).
Metro authorities will run extra services between Sector V and Howrah during the 12 days of the fair, starting Jan 22. Visitors can book metro tickets directly at a special booth between Gate 1 and Gate 2, pay via UPI, and head to Central Park station to avoid ticket counter queues. App cabs will use a designated pick-up zone at gate 1, guild officials said.
Publishers and Booksellers Guild general secretary Tridib Chatterjee said they expect record footfall this year. "For the first time, the venue is directly connected from Howrah to Karunamoyee and Central Park by metro. On our request, the Metro authorities increased frequency. The last train from Sector V will leave around 10 pm on all fair days," he said.
Last year, the fair saw 27 lakh visitors and Rs 23 crore in sales.
The 49th IKBF 2026 will be inaugurated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the Salt Lake Central Park fairground on Jan 22 and will continue till Feb 3.
Over 1,000 participants will attend, and Argentina will be the focal theme country for the first time.
There will be nine entry/exit gates, two themed on Argentine architecture. Like last year, an IKBF 2026 Android app will help visitors locate stalls using Google Maps. QR codes at entry points will open a digital ground map with the full participants' list. Around 20 countries are participating.
Bangladesh, however, will not participate for the second consecutive year.