Happy Cities

In course of yesterday's workshop on Future Cities, Dy Director IIT Kgp spoke of a new centre on Happiness that has been opened recently in IIT. He promised me to send me more details. I searched the web and found this link http://www.happiness-iitkgp.org/happiness/index.php .

How can cities be happy? By ensuring that citizens need less time to commute, by having less traffic jam, by having zones of recreation and entertainment, by having a sense of safety and security, by having centres of yoga/ meditation/ sports and by having a feel-good look in the public spaces. But to consciously and scientifically proceed further, we may collaborate with the IIT's Centre of Excellence on Happiness and so I have already sent a message to Director IIT.
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Clippings:

Times of India dt 12 Jan 2017

Bartaman dt 12 Jan 2017

Millennium Post dt 12 Jan 2017

Aajkal dt 12 Jan 2017

Khabar 365 dt 12 Jan 2017

Times of India dt 12 Jan 2017

Human Behaviour as a Design Tool

The day-long workshop on "Future Cities: Prospects and Challenges" took place today at the Glass Hall, Eco Park. It was inaugurated by the British Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata. Delegations from the University of Columbia, University of Tokyo, University of Edinburgh, IIT Kharagpur and many others participated. Presentations were also made on behalf of Naya Raipur and Amravati. I sat through the day and listened to the points of view presented, looking for cues to take New Town and the Theme Cities ahead.

Graphic Desgn for Future Cities

I got the sense that future cities need to recognize human behaviour as a design tool. The concept was introduced by a professor from Amsterdam (Dr Sytse de Maat) who elaborated by explaining that, for example, pedestrian-cyclist-motorcyclists-buses-trains-ferries conflict and chaos in a central part of Amsterdam was taken care by making the zone a pedestrian plaza as humans were more efficient in criss-crossing each other in a chaotic origin-destination situation.

There were many other important insights too. I have requested the IIT team to give a synopsis document.
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Clippings:

Aajkal dt 11 Jan 2017

Ekdin dt 11 Jan 2017

Pratidin dt 11 Jan 2017

Bartaman dt 11 Jan 2017

Anandabazar dt 11 Jan 2017

Millennium Post dt 11 Jan 2017

Millennium Post dt 11 Jan 2017

Biswa Bangla Bishwabidyalaya : Design

Gitabitan and University Site

I went to Bolpur today morning with Vivek Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department. We visited the site for Biswa Bangla Biswavidyalaya. This is near the site of Gitabitan Township,  just across the state highway, on the side of the new Webel IT Building. The size of the plot is about 18 acres where the Academic Block, Administrative Block and Institutional Block would be built. DM, SP, BDO and Officers of SSDA, UD&MA were also present. We were soon joined by Hon’ble MICs Firhad Hakim, Chandranath Sinha and Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Hon’ble CM inspected the site of the University, saw the progress of the ongoing boundary wall works of Gitabitan Township and saw the brochure on Gitabitan that has been developed by Hidco planners. Hon’ble CM asked Principal Secretary Higher Education to give requirements to Hidco who was asked to do the initial design. After the departure of HCM, MICs, a site meeting was taken at the conference room of Webel Building by MIC Firhad Hakim wherein further course of action was discussed and further site visit was undertaken. I returned in the evening.  I will hold a meeting with SSDA, Hidco and few Shantiniketan experts on Monday.
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Clippings:

Millennium Post dt 10 Jan 2017

Millennium Post dt 10 Jan 2017

Times of India dt 10 Jan 2017

Gitabitan Township

Artist's Impression of Gitabitan Township at Shantiniketan

Today afternoon, we held a meeting on Gitabitan Township at Hidco Bhavan Conference Room. Officers from Hidco, Webel, WBSEDCL and UD&MA attended. A powerpoint presentation was made by Chief Planner of Hidco. Many issues were discussed. I referred to my discussion with Finance Secretary on the pricing strategy and that, according to them, a cabinet decision may be required.

Last Saturday, I held a meeting with Union Bank of India on the procedure to be adopted for selling brochures and application forms. Our creative agency is also ready with a draft design for launching the project. Today evening, I got a telephonic call from Hon'ble MIC (UD&MA) to the effect that Hon'ble CM has directed me and Pr Secretary Higher Education Vivek Kumar to go to Bolpur in the afternoon. Accordingly, I and Vivek would leave Kolkata tomorrow morning for Bolpur.
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Clippings:

Asian Age dt 9 Jan 2017

Anandabazar dt 9 Jan 2017

Times of India dt 9 Jan 2017

Khabar 365 dt 9 Jan 2017

Khabar 365 dt 9 Jan 2017

Happy Street in Salt Lake

Sunday morning (today, 8th) at Salt Lake
With Gyanwant Singh, IPS, CP Bidhannagar and DC C Sudhakar IPS
(Photo courtesy Suman Chakraborty)

Went to Happy Streets being organised by ToI at Central Park / Broadway crossing. Great congregation, people enjoyed.

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Clippings:

Add caption

Ei Samay dt 8 Jan 2017

Times of India dt 8 Jan 2017

Bartaman dt 8 Jan 2017

http://www.nyoooz.com/news/kolkata/702462/now--sector-v-gets-road-numbers

First Board Meeting of Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority

Yesterday afternoon, I held the first meeting of the Board of NDITA at New Town's Business and Arbitration Centre. Other members included S Radhakrishnan, Kalyan Kar, Vijay Agrawal, Supana Datta, Jaydeep Datta Gupta, DCP Bidhannagar Commissionerate, Executive Officer and others.

Some of the key decisions involved:
1. A scheme of street numbering of all streets of Sector 5 was placed and approved.
2. A proposal of IIT Kharagpore of doing a DPR on cycle tracks along Salt Lake By Pass was approved
3. A proposal for entrusting Forest Department for green landscaping of Salt Lake By Pass Road was approved
4. A proposal for floating expression of interest for design of a Town Hall was approved
5. A proposal for engaging Mackintosh Burn Ltd , a State Govt Enterprise, for making food court cum multistoried car park as a design build process was approved
6. A proposal for engaging KMDA for design-build of an office of NDITA was approved
7. A proposal for installing signages was approved
8. A proposal for constructing gates to entrance of 215A Bus Terminus was approved
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Clippings:

Khabar 365 dt 7 Jan 2017

Telegraph dt 7 Jan 2017

Telegraph dt 7 Jan 2017

Ei Samay dt 7 Jan 2017

Ei Samay dt 7 Jan 2017

Times of India dt 7 Jan 2017

 

With Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce

With Mayor City of Mississauga Ms Bonnie Crombie at BCCI

I attended an interactive session with Mayor Ms Bonnie Crombie and others at Bharat Chamber of Commerce today morning. I said that we were interested in technology that will be useful for residents of towns. I said that we were in favour of sustainable development.
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Clipping:

Millennium Post dt 5 Jan 2017

Review of New Town's Markets

I held a meeting today at NKDA to review the status of the 10 markets built in New Town by NKDA in the recent years. It transpires that 442 shops have been generated out of which 38 are still to be allotted. However, many are not operating yet. We appointed supervisors to talk to the allottees. It seems some of the allottees are first generation enthusiasts and may need training on business managements. We also decided to write to them so that a critical mass of shops operate in each of the 10 markets. We also decided to approach Fisheries, ARD and other departments to see if government stalls could be started in some of the few vacant stalls.
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Clippings:
http://toi.in/0QZz-Y/a18ag

Khabar 365 dt 4 Jan 2017

India's First Smart Outlet of Indianoil in New Town: Foundation Stone

L-R: ED (IOC), me, B Ashok Chairman IOC, GM(IOC)

Today afternoon, Mr B Ashok, Chairman Indian Oil Corporation laid the foundation stone of India's first Smart Retail Outlet at Action Area 3 of New Town.Mr Ashok publicly mentioned that while driving through New Town, it felt like being in a foreign country. I mentioned that I was happy that the first smart retail outlet was being set up by Indian Oil in Smart New Town.

The presentation showed the nature of the outlet to be built. Wi Fi, serviced and automatic non-serviced petrol pumps, robot cleaners of solar panels on roof, automatic dispensers, LCD displays, convenience stores, electric charging of electric vehicles, RFID tags, convenience store, and,most significantly, an aesthetically futuristic architecture. I mentioned that IOC could think of setting up their regional office headquarter in New Town.
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Biswa Bangla Wi Fi being inaugurated
in Nabadiganta by Minister Hakim today
3 Jan 2017

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Clippings from Millennium Post dt 3 Jan 2017
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Pocket Garden

In our concept note on Green City Mission, I'd included the concept of Pocket Forests in Cities as an optional strategy for sustainable development. The idea was to utilise every square metre of urban land for greening. The 3 acre rain forest in Eco Park is an example that I can give.

Now NKDA has just made a tiny garden at the crossing of two internal streets in New Town.It is near the Indian Oil Pump near Novotel. Tomorrow, IOC will lay the foundation stone of a smart fuel pump in New Town's AAIII. I plan to request their officers to adopt the pocket garden for continued maintenance and upkeep.

Pocket Garden by NKDA in AA1

Also see the facebook video at https://www.facebook.com/debashisen/posts/10211862392104359?notif_t=like&notif_id=1483370724128289
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Clippings:

HT dt 2 Jan 2017

Bartaman dt 2 Jan 2017

ToI dt 2 Jan 2017

ToI dt 2 Jan 2017

Telegraph Metro dt 2 Jan 2017

Colours of Life

We had a Hackathon on urban art with young architects. They went to sites, studied the 'problems' - (design a light sculpture, being one of these) - got inputs from the seniors of IIA (Indian Institute of Architects) and made a presentation at Rabindra Tirtha where eminent artists and architects were present. The inspiration for the design emanated from the Rubik's Cube and aspired to celebrate the colours of life. Yesterday, the last day of 2016, this sculpture was installed on the waterfront, at a site near the Herbal Garden. Here is a picture taken by me yesterday. Some finishing touches are still being given.

A Light Sculpture to Celebrate Colours of Life

There is a signage that has been placed near the sculpture. Here is it:

  
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Clipping:

Ei Samay dt 1 Jan 2017