Sunday, August 11, 2013

Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority Constituted

In its notification no. 2197-T&CP dated 6.8.2013, the Urban Development Department has constituted the Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority. This is Chaired by Shri Bankim Hazra, MLA while members include Principal Secretary Tourism Department, DM South 24 Paraganas, MLAs Samir Jana & Jogranjan Haldar and other officers. SDO Kakdwip is the Member-Secretary.
I spoke to Chairman Bankim Hazra and informed him of the decision. State Government is laying a lot of emphasis in he development of this belt and is drawing up elaborate plans. The UD Department has already advised the Member Secretary to request setting up a second cottage at Gangasagar adjacent to the xisting one, on a PPP basis.
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Yesterday, I met Golf Trainer Mr Indrajit Bhalotia at Hidco. He had come with a proposal of setting up an aqua golf course at Eco Park. I did not know that such a thing existed, but apparently it does in other countries. He showed me a power-point presentation and I asked for a specific proposal. Here is a picture showed by him:
Aqua Golf in Eco Park?
I took the opportunity to inform him that we had plans to set up a golf demonstration area in Eco Park near the butterfly garden. He seemed to endorse the idea and said that "putting courses" were also a popular format. I showed him the following part of the master plan:
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Here is a clipping from today's Ei Samay:
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Here is a clipping from today's Times of India:
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And  here is a cutting from Khabar 365 of last Friday:

11 comments:

  1. A bunch of good news at one go. I have a few comments.

    1. Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority:

    Its sort of your child. You were involved when the idea was in a nascent stage and you had a silent contribution in this by getting the 1st cottage executed. Great that it happened at last. I think the 1st thing that we need is a road bridge connecting Sagar island if we need to have round the year tourists. Same applies for the river stretch after Namkhana on the way to Bakkhali. A long way to go as far as infrastructure upgradation is concerned. However the very first things that these places are lacking is ATMs and we should have them in ample numbers.

    2. Golf Course is a fantastic idea. Thanks for having this Sir in Eco Park. Ya, definitely Aqua Golf will be a unique addition.

    3. Getting the land allocated in 2 days for World Trade Centre is simply mind-blowing. These type of things create positive perception about Bengal to the industry and outside world after decades of negative image.

    4. NCPCR has taken a right move. This was needed very much. Now we should have a strong regulation to enforce that.

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  2. Since the Panchayet elections are now over , I think , Sir, HIDCO should take the initiative and push PWD to widen the Bhojerhaat road. This is really a long pending task.

    Also NKDA and HIDCO should come up with rules regarding the amenities to be provided by the builders developing townships on the Bhojerhaat road . None of us want unplanned concrete jungles with narrow 20-30 feet roads with no underground sewerage connection, drinking water supply or parks and amenities just on the outskirts of New Town.

    Like what BBMP has done in Bangalore, NKDA / HIDCO can also enforce the developers to mandatorily provide rainwater harvesting and own STP with underground sewerage channels not only for apartment complexes but also for township projects with huge number of plotted sites / villas / bunglows.

    Also as of now, HIDCO is doing building plan approval of G+4 and higher buildings in the adjoining areas of New Town. I strongly suggest Sir that we start doing the same for all plotted type of township projects ( some example of these type of projects which happened in surrounding areas of New Town in the past are Vedic Village and Sanjeeva Town)

    Many more such projects are coming up nowadays and we should regulate them to have an almost uniform infrastructure development and also saving Govt money by passing on the infrastructure development cost to the builders.

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  3. Dear sir

    After panchayet poll govt is taking initiatives for Industrial development. In recent Bushiness meeting at Mumbai, govt. got nice responses. This is a good sign.

    Now govt should have a forward vision to develop Infrastructure like roads, rail, metro, airport etc.


    Recently I came across the article 'Kolkata will be the gateway to APAC - Airports Authority of India' by Crusing heights which is India's best known monthly aviation magazine.

    http://www.aai.aero/misc/cruising_heights_3Feb12_1.pdf

    The main point's of this article are

    Although Kolkata airport has two parallel runway the distance in between them is only 260 m.

    For full operation of the parallel runway (simultaneously arrival and departure) the minimum distance should be 1000 m.

    For this additional 1200 acre of land is needed. (or 3'rd runway not parallel but crisscross it but capacity addition will be low than parallel one )

    Present capacity (20 million) will be full by 2020. After addition of new taxiways it can be reached up-to 26-27 million in present area.

    Before that second phase should be complete..


    Growth of total Passenger traffic in CCU(million)

    2004-05................. 4.41
    2005-06..................6.00
    2006-07..................7.46
    2007-08.................6.99
    2008-09.................8.05
    2010-11................9.18
    2011-12................10.30
    2012-13.................10.06
    ....
    .....
    2019-20.................20.0
    ........
    2025-26.................30.0
    ......
    ......
    Then next?????????????

    I think to acquire 1200 acre land just beside(east side) of the airport will be huge problem. govt. may go to the other option means new second airport (like Chennai, Mumbai} is only solution.

    Present airport can be used as domestic purpose(as it is already connected well with north and central KMA region) and International flights will move to the new airport.

    location should be strategic.

    Ideal in southern region close to Industrial town Haldia, Kharagpur, Proposed new ports at Sagar and Rasulpur , as well as Tourist destination Digha, Sundarban.

    New Integrated expressway, highway for better connectivity to all KMA area as well as to the other towns in 100 km radius.

    Two expressway (eastern and southern expressway) was proposed earlier and I think it will come up definitely in near future. I am just giving possible alignment with minimum loss and shorter route.

    For better integration I have proposed some link highway and its alignment.

    I am giving a fantasy map for new location of the Kolkata airport and an integrated connectivity to the whole region.

    https://maps.google.co.in/maps/ms?msid=201225418900912698343.0004dd6a84f7b916487e1&msa=0&ll=22.547718,88.315573&spn=0.02279,0.039911

    I have also made a metro netwark as well as prbable developable region like satalite township, industral park, etc at

    https://maps.google.co.in/maps/ms?msid=201225418900912698343.0004def6359446037c3be&msa=0

    I will be very happy if you kindly look at them.

    Regards
    Shubhashis



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  4. Sir,

    I had read a few weeks earlier that the authorities have decided to pedestrianise the area adjoining New Market. This is a good move. While doing so, I would also ask you consider phase wise development of the area. As the CM has announced invitation to Private developers to work on PPP basis for the Govt. Markets, I believe New Market can be an excellent step. On one hand it can show a path of adaptive reuse and conservation for old heritage structures (quiet in line with the Writer's Renovation), it can create an excellent opportunity to build and showcase Kolkata as Heritage Tourist Destination complete with a shopping experience.
    As part of the adaptive Reuse and using the maximum of pedestrian area complete with the regularisation of the hawkers we can create roof structures over the buildings in and around the market. A case to refer is Cabot Circus in Bristol, UK.

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  5. We are trying to do a non-motorized road project. It is still in the planning phase though.

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