Industry Chamber to put up Water Kiosks in Rabindra Sarovar

President of Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Mr Sutanu Ghosh and few others met me last week and expressed intention of BCCI to put up few water kiosks in Rabindra Sarovar. I recalled the three water kiosks constructed recently in New town by M/s Rupa and agreed to refer the matter to CEO KIT. A joint field inspection will take place soon
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Clippings:

Dainik Statesman

Aajkal dt 18 Dec 2016

Khabar 365 dt 18 Dec

http://bn.kolkatalive24.com/already-created-indore-cricket-stadiums-scktch/

New Hotel Plots in Digha

In its meeting held yesterday , the Standing Committee of the Cabinet approved allotment of 10 plots of sizes varying from 4 kottahs to 32 kottahs. The plots are in Economy Hotel Sector of Digha and others in Commercial / Holiday Home Sector. The plots were allotted through e-auction process. With this, the tourism sector will get a further boost in Digha area.
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Clippings:

Millennium Post dt 17 Dec 2016

Ei Samay dt 17 Dec 2016

"The Globe Theatre's Complete Walk"

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Clippings:
(From Salt Lake Telegraph dt 16 Dec 2016)

Cycling Hub in New Town

Last Tuesday, a group of cyclists, trainers, manufacturing managers and cycle federation members met me and proposed that the area around the Eco Park could become a Cycling Hub with a bit of special inputs. A global cycle manufacturer's representative from Taiwan was also present.

The cycle enthusiasts appreciated that dedicated cycle tracks were being built in New Town near Eco Park. They considered the ring road from Eco Park's Gate 1- Wooden Bridge - Gate 6 - Gate 4 - Gate 1 to be a fine 5.50 km cycle track that was free from traffic and could be made suitable for professional cycle coaching with slight modifications like removing a few bumps etc. The inner pathway within the Eco Park around the lake would also be very useful for a 2.5 km cycling track. They mentioned that cycle as a sport is mostly done in mornings while the Eco Park opens in the afternoon and as such there would be no conflicts.

I added that cycle tracks were being constructed in Action Area 1 too, that we'd commissioned IIT to make a DPR for a public sharing scheme and that duo-cycling had been proved very popular in Eco Park. The DPR provides for intermittent rain shelters on the cycle tracks and manned kiosks for selling flowers, magazines and tea would be attached to public cycle stations so that the kiosk owner could also take are of the cycles in the sharing station.

The cycling federation also suggested that a velodrome may be built along with the proposed indoor stadium (planned near the deer park of Eco Park) for giving the sports an edge. I have asked Arup Ghosh , GM, Hidco to study the drawing given by them.
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Add caption

Commercial Court in New Town

Last week, I attended a workshop on Institute of Technical Arbitrators of India at Nizam Palace. Justice (Retd) Chittatosh Banerjee and Hon'ble Governor of Tripura were present. I mentioned that we were developing a Legal Hub in New Town, that the National Green Tribunal was already functioning in New Town and that  New Town Commercial and Business Centre was in operation in New Town which would later be converted into the Kolkata International Arbitration Centre. I also mentioned that a plot of land has been identified for setting up a Commercial Court in the Legal Hub and discussions were going on with the Judicial Department
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Khabar 365 dt 14 Dec 2016

Dainik Statesman dt 14 Dec 2016

Food Court near Unitech

A lottery was held last Saturday at Rabindra Tirtha where everyone won ! It was a lottery to allot which hawker would get rehabilitated in which stall of New Town Food Court (opposite Unitech) , but all would. The stalls, very innovatively designed, were allotted to all applicants. The unorganised hawkers themselves removed their old ill-designed shops on their own in exchange of shops at a monthly rent.

New Food Court opposite Unitech

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Clippings:

Ei Samay dt 13 Dec 2016

Anandabazar dt 13 Dec 2016

Khabar 365 dt 13 Dec 2016

Millennium Post dt 13 Dec 2016

Millennium Post dt 13 Dec 2016

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/sports/kolkata-to-get-countrys-largest-indoor-stadium/article9423818.ece

Hidco Board Recommends Indoor Stadium Design

The Hidco Board, in its last meeting, approved the design of an Indoor Stadium near Eco Park's Deed Park on a 10 acre plot. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) was recommended for being forwarded to the State Govt for approval and funding.
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Khabar 365 dt 12 Dec 2016

Future Cities

Graphic for "Future of Cities Festival" 2017
(Courtesy: Future Cities Catapult, the UK based think tank
that had collaborated with New Town during Smart City Plan
preparation)

Yesterday, we had a preparatory meeting of the workshop on Future Cities to be held on 11th January 2016. We would be doing this in collaboration with IIT Kharagpore. Prof Joy Sen of IIT Kharagpore is leading the group in IIT. Sukrit Chatterjee, Chief Architect NKDA, P R Das Consulting Architect and Sayanti Mukherjee Architect NKDA were present in the discussions. With help of IIT, we are trying to bring in few international experts too. The workshop would be held at Utsari Glass Hall in Eco Island.
The concept is to think of identifying problems faced by greenfield cities during the transition phase which is sometimes as long as three decades or more. The challenge is to think into the future and create urban habitat that will fit into city's needs a hundred years later. The idea is to be sustainable and tech-savvy, smart and green,  economically vibrant and inclusive.
A concept note was drawn up which is as follows:

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Clippings:

Millennium Post dt 11 Dec 2016

Times of India dt 11 Dec 2016

Anandabazar dt 11 Dec 2016

Bartmn dt 11 Dec 2016 

Japanese Workshop

Day before yesterday, last Wednesday, two Japanese experts Mr Takatoshi Arai, Professional Engineer and Ms. Kanako Katayama, Urban Environment Expert, met me and visited Japanese Garden at Eco Park to discuss about the visit in 24-26 Dec 2016 of Prof Makoto Suzuki, Professor of Landscape Architecture Science at Tokyo Unversity of Agriculture, President of the Academic Society of Japanese Garden, Chairman of the academic committee ofthe Institute of Landscape Architecture, and Tatsuya Hosono. They also took photos at Japanese Garden. The workshop will be for the Japanese Garden in the making - which we propose to open in January as per revised schedule - as also for methods used in maintenance. Architects, Engineers as well as supervisors and staff will be invited as participants

I visited the Japanese Garden today and took this photo on my iPhone:

Colourful lions guarding gate of Japanese Garden

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Clippings:

Salt Lake Telegraph dt 9 Dec 2016

Khabar 365 dt 9Dec 2016

Eco Park Inspection

New Hibiscus Garden in Eco Park

Today, I had a formal inspection with the entire engineering team of Hidco and PHED of Eco Park. This was solely on maintenance and repairs and upgrading: I did not discuss any new project that was ongoing except that I saw the new Hibiscus (জবা ) garden (see pic above) made by Forest Department and that I advised PHED to make few temporary urinals within 10 days to cater to increased tourists expected during the period 24Dec - 1 Jan.  I also advised opening of additional ticket counters to cope with the rush.

I'd advised Atanu Palodhi Curator Eco Park to list up the minor maintenance required at various places. We started the inspection with a loud reading of this list. Thereafter we went around the entire Eco Park in 5 Eco Carts and few dozen cycles, stopping here and there to point out objects requiring a coat of paint or a minor repair. The visit lasted 2 hours (12 noon -2pm).
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HT dt 8 Dec 2016

EWS Flats

Notice has been published today in newspapers like Times of India and others inviting applications for allotment of 139 EWS flats in three locations of New Town. Details can be seen at http://wbhidcoltd.com/uploads/announcement/Brochure_EWS_2016_f.pdf .
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Clippings:

Times of India dt 7 Dec 2016

Khabar 365 dt 7 Dec 2016

NGO Meet on Snehodiya

Networking Meeting with NGOs : Sujoy Chanda Jt CP (KP), CP Bdn Gyanwant Singh, me, A K Patnaik, Sutanu Ghosh: on dias
(Photo courtesy Krittibas Nayek)

As decided earlier ( see http://principalsecretarysblog.blogspot.in/2016/11/snehodiya-senior-citizen-habitat.html ) we had a meeting with NGOs dealing with Senior Citizens including Dignity Foundation, Helpage India, Support Elders, Vivekananda Ramkrishna Mission, CMIG, Women Interlink Foundation, All Bengal Women Union etc and also Gyanwant Sigh IPS Commissioner of Police Bidhannagar (who are running Saanjhbati Programme), Sujoy Chanda IPS Jt CP Kolkata Police (who are running  Pronam). Architects Pace Consultants gave a presentation and there was a great brainstorming session. Key takeaways were : Try separate toilet cubicles or, better, single occupancy rooms; use staff trained to deal with elders; tie up with hospital for emergency care; keep standby ambulance; keep medical help handy etc. I agreed to many of the suggestions.
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Clipping:

Millennium Post dt 6 Dec 2016

Poetry Festival, Mela and Book Fair at New Town

I held a review meeting yesterday Sunday regarding preparations for the ensuing New Town Mela, New Town Book Fair and National Poetry Festival, all scheduled to start on 23-24 Dec 2016. It was decided that an MoU will be signed among Hidco, NKDA and Boi Mela Committee and that Asit Chatterjee, Joint Secretary UD, Anup Matilal Curator RT and Prasanta Maji Administrator Swapna Bhor would be govt nominees.

The New Town Mela would be held on the Mela Ground near Rabindra Tirtha. A special pedestrian entry and a Bus Stop near the main gate is being arranged by Hidco. The Mela will showcase cultural functions from Durgotsav Committees every day and attempts are being to bring in sponsored artistes as well. The Mela is being organised by NKDA.

The Boi Mela, normally held in February for last two years, has been preponed to synergise with the Mela so that more people can have the choices. Along with the Boi Mela, scheduled to be held in Swapna Bhor (Senior Citizen Park) a 3-day National Poetry Festival is also being organised for the first time in Swapna Bhor by the Boi Mela Committee in collaboration with Hidco and NKDA. This will be a unique attempt to strengthen Kolkata's image as the Cultural Hub of India.Invitations to prominent poets from within and outside the state are being sent out. There would be many other activities as well.
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Clippings:

Asian Age dt 5 Dec 2016

Millennium Post dt 5 Dec 2016

Bartaman dt 5 Dec 2016

Central Park Frontage

Salt Lake Central Park Frontage Beautification Scheme

Few days ago, I along with engineers of UD Diraj Dhar, Special Engineer and others inspected the front portion of Central Park, Salt Lake. The Park is maintained by UD's engineering wing at Nirman Bhavan and is very extensively used especially in winter. Sabala Mela is going on now and just before that there was CII's Travel and Tourism Fair. In fact all dates till February are booked and some notable users every year, other than the ones already mentioned, include Bidhannagar Mela, Saras Mela, Rathyatra, Rabindra Jayanti and many more. But of late, there is a felt need of upgrading the infrastructure. So now a scheme has been drawn up by UD Engineers and a Detailed Project Report is just ready. After budget provisioning, tenders will be invited.
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Khabar 365 dt 4 Dec 2016

bangla.kolkatalive.in/home/newsdetails/914

Concrete Art

Near MWM

Near Gate 5

Concrete Art, or Engineer's Art. Street installation using scrapped materials like pile caps and discarded hume pipes. Converted into art objects by engineers of PHED.
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Clippings:

Ei Samay dt 3 Dec 2016

MP, dt 3 Dec 2016

Khabar 365 dt 3 Dec 2016

Banglar Mishti Hub

Artist's impression of Mishhti Hub near Gate 3 of Eco Park 

The Board of Hidco in its meeting dated 25 November resolved to approve construction of Banglar Mishti Hub in New Town for promotion of traditional Bengali sweets with particular focus on people flying out from Kolkata.  Renowned sweet shops will be able to display and sell various types of Bangla sweets. The Board noted that many well known brands of Kolkata have shown interest in participating. But the Hub of 10 odd stores will also have space for traditional geo-tagged Bangla sweets such as Shaktigarh's Lyangcha, Bardhaman's Mihidana-Sitabhog, Krishnanagar's Sarbhaja-Sarpuria, Berhampore's Chhanabora etc.

The design was approved by the Board and tenders have been invited.
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Clippings:

Khabar 365 dt 2 Dec 2016

www.toi.in/0LhehZ/a18ag

Meeting on Gitabitan

Draft Brochure of proposed Gitabitan Township in Shantiniketan

We held a long review meeting on Gitabitan Township yesterday. The brochure design was finalised and target dates were given to different wings such as PHED, WBSEDCL, SSDA, HIDCO etc. We decided that although theme and culture would be the theme, all street lights would be LED and there would be Wi Fi hotspots too. We will take the next stage after next Friday.

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Bartaman dt 1 Dec 2016