Kolkata Project Update I - project news from Kolkata [Archive] - Page 6

arijeetb

March 14th, 2007, 05:09 PM

KOLKATA — Metro Railway — pride of the red city — is poised to serve more commuters than ever before if a grand plan mooted by the West Bengal government becomes a reality.

At present, the underground link is 16.45km long from Dum Dum near the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport in the north to Tollygunje in south Kolkata. An overground extension from Tollygunje to Garia is nearing completion and is expected to be inaugurated by year-end.

Now the federal railway ministry has shown the green light to a West Bengal government proposal for a six-km extension from Dum Dum to Baranagar.

“Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has given his go-ahead for conducting a feasibility study for the Rs500-crore project” state transport secretary Sumantra Chowdhury told reporters on Monday.

“In its letter to the Railway Board, the state government has offered to consider sharing the cost on mutually-agreed terms”, he added. Chowdhury said that if all goes well, the feasibility study will be over before the next railway budget in February 2008.

“Passenger flow in Metro will increase if the stretch is added to the existing network. The construction of the second Vivekananda Bridge will be an added advantage, as it will then connect Howrah and beyond to Metro services, right through Kolkata central business district and up to New Garia” an official dealing with the proposal said.

A recent survey has found the Metro occupancy rates to be as low as 33 per cent between 7 am and 9 am and 55 per cent between 7.30 pm and 9.45 pm. The occupancy crosses 70 per cent only during peak hours, between 9 am and 11 am and from 4.50pm to 7.30pm.

The state government has apparently requested all West Bengal MPs cutting across party lines to ensure that the railway ministry gives top priority to the feasibility study and allocates funds for the extension as soon as possible.

pding

March 14th, 2007, 06:18 PM

arijeetb

March 14th, 2007, 08:18 PM

seems like more commosion in Nandigram. imo, what's up with such firebrand activism in WB??? seriously, ppl, both politicians and commoners, need to chill out a little bit. how long is this gonna continue? it's been months. violence goes down and then reappears again....imo, the revolutionary type attitude is still too prevalent in Bengal.

Yes - it is slowly becoming a national issue along with Singur.:ohno: It is absurd since the state govt has said that they are not going to acquire land in nandigram...

Suncity

March 15th, 2007, 01:46 AM

It's sad that so many people have to die in a turf war between the CP(I)M on one side and the Maoists, Trinamool and Jamaat on the other side. The farmers are just pawns in the dangerous game being played by these leaders and the ultra left intellectuals.

Hopefully sanity will prevail on the political parties and peace will return.

vivekkedia

March 15th, 2007, 10:05 AM

Suncity

March 15th, 2007, 05:34 PM

Whats the use of industries over dead people, i dont think that the industries setup like this anywhere will ever prosper.....

Is it really about industries? The Government had already said that no industries will be set up in Nandigram if people don't want it.

Going through the endless media reports (and the media is not all that trustworthy either), it seems like the CP(I)M was "taking over' lost grounds from the Naxalite-Trinamul-Jamaat stranglehold. And quite a few innocent farmer lives were lost. Some of those who died are alleged to have died of their own bomb wounds.

All said and done, industries are needed and the mainstream poltical parties which are opposing industrialization, calling bandhs and inciting violence are not doing West Bengal any good. The Trinamool and the CP(I)M need to sit down and talk this over and look beyond party interests. There is every chance that because of their obstinacy and petty politics the control of the situation will pass into the hands of the Naxalites and Jamaat and that may not bode well for the nation.

Suncity

March 15th, 2007, 05:58 PM

Omega, Bengal Intelligent Park
photo cc rights Apai

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/5452/omegakolkatagt2.jpg

Render

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/6057/omega2kolkataze2.jpg

arijeetb

March 15th, 2007, 08:19 PM

Kolkata, March 15 (IANS) Imagine boarding a luxurious vessel to cruise along the Ganges, sipping your mocktail as you float towards a tourist destination that you always reached through air or rail.

Sounds exotic? It might become a reality soon for tourists arriving in West Bengal. The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is gearing up to promote river tourism, using the waterways that connect the City of Joy with many destinations along the Ganges, called the Hooghly in Kolkata.

'We have decided to kick off river tourism and coastal tourism from Kolkata Port. In coastal tourism, several tourist destinations like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puri in Orissa and the Sagar Islands of Sundarbans will be connected with Kolkata through the waterways,' KoPT chairman A.K. Chanda told IANS.

Chanda said KoPT also has plans to introduce luxury boats for tourists from Kolkata to West Bengal districts like Murshidabad, Malda and Nadia.

All these three districts are of rich historical significance and have emerged as tourism hotspots for people coming from different parts of the world. These districts are also connected by the same national waterways - the Ganges.

Kolkata port is the only port in India that is connected through river. All other ports in the country are seaports.

'We have started rejuvenating canals which are linked with the Ganges. KoPT has also allotted land to a private company, Vivada Inland Transport Ltd., near the Millennium Park to run a cruise service from Kolkata to Sundarbans - a global heritage that has developed as a perfect place for ecotourism,' he revealed.

Chanda added that an air-conditioned vessel, Paramhansa, was now ready to start its journey with the accommodation of 100 people.

A.K. Mukherjee, a KoPT official, said the state government had constituted a committee headed by the KoPT chairman. There are other representatives from the tourism department of West Bengal, Orissa and Andaman. This committee is solely working on encouraging coastal tourism from Kolkata.

'We are looking for global partners to join in this venture. Talks are on with Singapore-based Star Cruise and Viking River Cruise of the US. We want them to run international standard vessels on the Ganges, connecting several important tourist destinations,' said Mukherjee.

The KoPT has also given permission to a private river transport company, East India Navigation, to operate their vessels from Outram ghat jetty No.1 in Kolkata for local sightseeing.

'We welcome the members of the UK delegation that came to Kolkata for developing maritime facilities though they are not experts in river tourism. Another British delegation will come shortly to explore investment opportunities in coastal tourism here,' Chanda said.

Suncity

March 16th, 2007, 07:13 AM

Sunrise Point u/c
photo cc rights apai

http://www.surekaproperties.com/sps.htm

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9269/sunrisepointapainc8.jpg

kolkata

March 16th, 2007, 08:55 AM

Suncity

March 16th, 2007, 09:44 PM

Anybody knows any details about this project - South City Tower

Seems to be an office building near Ruby Hospital - EM BYpass.. no other details found on the link below ... on Page 3.

http://www.southcityprojects.com/december06.pdf

Great find.

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6264/southcitytowerkolkatjg2.jpg

But no clue. Is this just a proposal?

Hindustani

March 17th, 2007, 12:50 AM

Bit unorthodox design. but a good one. I like it.

Great find.
http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6264/southcitytowerkolkatjg2.jpg
But no clue. Is this just a proposal?

Jai

March 17th, 2007, 01:27 AM

I count 30 stories

arijeetb

March 17th, 2007, 06:47 AM

30 stories of glass is visually appealing...:)

arijeetb

March 17th, 2007, 08:37 AM

Kolkata: By the end of 2007, Calcutta University (CU) will set up a technology campus in Salt Lake. This will give an impetus to the efforts of the government of West Bengal to give further stress to current craze of technology in the state. The campus will have a swanky look with two seven-storeyed buildings, an international-standard guest house, a separate administrative block and an auditorium.

Shyamal Sarkar, secretary of the science and technology faculty, said, “Construction work is on schedule and we are expecting that a portion of the campus will be ready by the end of this year and we also plan to shift some of our departments there.”

The 4.2-acre new campus will be equipped with modern facilities and all the eight technology departments will be shifted to Salt Lake in one-and-a-half years.

Eight departments of the university’s technology faculty are located on its Rajabazar Science College campus, in north Kolkata, which also houses 16 basic science departments. With over 2,500 students of 24 departments sharing the five-acre campus, the authorities found it difficult to roll out new courses or set up facilities, mandatory for an institute of advanced learning.

Samiran Mukherjee, a B.Tech student, said, “Since there is no proper place to hold campus interviews, some companies do not visit our university, while they go to Jadavpur University. We hope this situation will change with the new campus.”

In future, the state and the central governments will also chip in with funds for setting up the new campus of the 150-year-old university.

Suncity

March 17th, 2007, 05:49 PM

Just to show that the new Jublee bridge is under construction. View from an intercity train - some glimpses. Ignore the antics of the guys.

video by iamsandeep

-HgBYf5URqk

Suncity

March 17th, 2007, 07:06 PM

update on Genexx Valley - 33 buildings of which 10 are 14 storeys

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2184/genexxssc1sse3.jpg

Suncity

March 17th, 2007, 09:36 PM

Suncity

March 18th, 2007, 12:22 AM

Biggest Pantaloon store opens in city
Statesman News Service

Are you ready to shop at India’s biggest Pantaloon? Today, Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited, opened its third Kolkata store, which is spread across 80,000 square feet at its Kankurgachi address. Besides clothes, you will find high-end furniture (collection i), electronic goods (eZone), books and CDs (Depot), and gizmos (Gen M).
Mr Sanjeev Agarwal, CEO of PRIL, said that the city will soon have three more outlets — at South City Mall, City Centre II and Riverside Mall. The company also plans to establish a Central Mall in Kolkata and another mall with factory outlets.

kolkata

March 18th, 2007, 06:04 AM

KOLKATA: Kishore Biyani’s Future Group is ramping up its retail presence in West Bengal. The group has silently signed up properties in Howrah, Siliguri, Bardhaman, Kharagpur, Darjeeling and even Asansol to open stores and occupy approximately 29 lakh square feet (sq ft) of the state’s retail space.

Total investment being envisaged is over Rs 500 crore. The move is expected to shore up the group’s overall business from the state to Rs 800 crore by financial year ended June 30, 2008, from an estimated Rs 450 crore in the current year.

Outlining the Future Group’s growth plans, company insiders said the group’s retail outlets in Kolkata would cover 8 lakh sq ft by December 2008 from the present 2.5 lakh sq ft, while it would occupy some 29 lakh sq ft of retail space in the state. Incidentally, Pantaloon Retail India is the retail arm of the Future Group.

Pantaloon Retail India regional head (eastern zone) Sandeep Marwah told ET: “West Bengal plays a critical role in our overall scheme of growth. We began our retail journey from here and hence, the state will always occupy an important place in our growth plans.”

The group plans to set up six new Pantaloons outlets in the state. Of these, three new stores will come up in Asansol, Siliguri and Batanagar. Incidentally, all three Pantaloons outlets are in Kolkata. The group also intends to open 15 new Big Bazaar outlets by December 2008 from the present three it has in Kolkata and Durgapur.

“We have already identified 11 properties for Big Bazaar stores in Kolkata. The balance four will come up at Belur, Bardhaman, Kharagpur and Darjeeling. This apart, we will also open a couple of independent Food Bazaar outlets across the city and Howrah,” the insider added.

The Future group has also finalised plans to launch its mega-scale seamless mall in the city, central, covering some 3.5 lakh sq ft in calendar 2008.

Source: TOI

kolkata

March 18th, 2007, 06:54 AM

During the project work, shopowners would be accommodated in an alternative area. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has embarked on development of civic markets in different parts of the city.

KMC would take up development work in 19 such markets in different parts of the city. Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee said the work would be taken up on a public-private-partnership (PPP) basis. During the project work, owners of the shops would be accommodated in an alternative area so that they can carry on their business. After completion of the project, the shopowners would be provided accommodation in the new premises based on the records of the Corporation, Bhattacharjee said.

KMC has already called tender for the development of the mass market at Park Circus area. The project would be finalised after shortlisting the bidders.Next the market at Entally would be taken up.The projects would help beautification of the market area and provide the shopowners decent income, he said. Once realised the projects would run into crores of rupees.

Bhattacharjee today inaugurated the temporary college street market. The shopowners in college street would be provided 1.60 lakh square feet area in the new premises, which would be built in 18 months time. There are around 1158 shopkeepers and vendors selling books in the college street area.

Source - BS

Suncity

March 19th, 2007, 02:26 AM

Looks like the foundation stone for this project was finally laid today after I had seen the first advt in Oct 2005! Not sure if the renders are still accurate.

Bengal Ambuja Upohar
Location: Off EM Bypass, behind Peerless Hospital
Architects: Balakrishna and Doshi

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1299/bengalambujaupohar12yc.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7113/bengalambujaupohar22up.jpg

News:

Second green lung for Kolkata likely
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/india/news/article_1278911.php/Second_green_lung_for_Kolkata_likely

More

Green estate off Bypass
- Flats for all income groups

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070319/asp/calcutta/story_7534272.asp

The foundation stone of an “eco-friendly” housing estate, Upohar — the Condoville, was laid by Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Saturday.

The 19-acre project by Bengal Ambuja, at Chawkgaria, off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, will comprise 1,213 apartments for all income groups. The estate is scheduled to be ready in 24 months.

“We have divided the estate in three categories — LIG, MIG and HIG. There will be 248 LIG flats, 360 MIG flats and 605 HIG apartments. We will offer 13 types of HIG flats, with facilities like gym, training centre and jogging tracks,” said Harshvardhan Neotia, managing director of Bengal Ambuja Housing Development Limited.

He added the project has been designed according to the norms of the environment ministry and the state pollution control board.

“The project was conceptualised five years back but we waited for clearances from different environmental agencies. Within the complex, there would be a large waterbody surrounded by greenery,” added Neotia.

The housing project will also have an “activity centre” and a vocational training centre.

The activity centre will comprise a community hall, a games room, a gym and a swimming pool.

The HIG towers will be surrounded by an open green space that will include a jogging track, a children’s park and an amphitheatre.

arijeetb

March 19th, 2007, 12:53 PM

Kolkata, March 17 (IANS) To ease the increasing urban congestion of this eastern metropolis, a West Bengal minister Saturday stressed on the need for a second green lung on the eastern fringe of the city.

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/india/news/article_1278911.php/Second_green_lung_for_Kolkata_likely

arijeetb

March 20th, 2007, 09:33 AM

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=278255

Suncity

March 23rd, 2007, 08:06 PM

15 storey DLF Tower u/c

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5473/dlfglassrajarhatgi8.jpg

arijeetb

March 24th, 2007, 09:30 PM

Larsen & Toubro Ltd, which is building the Second Vivekananda Bridge in Kolkata, West Bengal, achieved the critical milestone in construction recently when the last closure pre-cast segment of the main bridge was put in place. The bridge is designed to carry six-lane traffic on both carriageways.
The construction of the 880-m long main bridge across Hoogly river, just 50m downstream of the existing Bally Bridge, is the most critical activity of the project. Other works of the project like approach roads, drainage works and road furniture works are at an advanced stage and are likely to be completed with the next 45 days. L&T's construction division, ECC, is the EPC contractor for this bridge.

arijeetb

March 25th, 2007, 10:19 AM

MUMBAI: The larger firms including TCS, Cognizant and Wipro are already present there. Now the rest of the domestic IT fraternity are making a beeline to eastern India in a bid to control the ever-increasing attrition levels, rising wage and infrastructure costs plaguing the BPO industry.

Infosys BPO and Satyam are mulling an entry into the eastern metro by the end of the current calendar year. Firstsource will open its second centre in Kolkata this year, while HSBC’s BPO arm already has a base in the eastern Indian city.

Attrition in Kolkata-based BPO firms was a low 15% as compared with the industry average of over 30%. Salaries were nearly 28% lower and the total costs of setting up business units was 20% lower in Kolkata than in other traditional BPO hubs like Bangalore or Gurgaon.

The article is available at
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1086742

Hindustani

March 25th, 2007, 01:05 PM

Sun...................nice update.
15 storey DLF Tower u/c
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5473/dlfglassrajarhatgi8.jpg
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2184/genexxssc1sse3.jpg[/

Suncity

March 28th, 2007, 04:13 AM

More on Bengal Ambuja's Upohar project
http://www.bengalambuja.com/housing/upohar/upohar-intro.shtm

The luxury condoville

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2215/upoharluxuyrb1.jpg

The economy and efficiency blocks

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9643/upoharefficiencyxe9.jpg

The Layout

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/502/upoharataglancebigjp9.jpg

arijeetb

April 1st, 2007, 02:55 PM

*** Delhi: The Government will extend to the three Universities of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai a special grant of Rs.1 billion on the occasion of their 150 anniversary celebrations.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to approve a special grant of Rs.1 billion each to University of Mumbai, University of Madras and University of Calcutta for their research projects, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said Thursday.

These funds will be used by the universities for setting up of their centres of nanosciences and nanotechnology/bio-medical nanotechnology in a phased manner.

The implementation of the projects will provide additional facilities for research and training, creation of proper ambience for emergence of successful industries, creation and introduction of successful *** products, filing of additional patents and availability of additional trained manpower in those fields.

The project will start from current academic year and will be complete by 2010-11, said Dasmunsi. (IANS)

http://www.indiaedu***s.net/Universities/Mumbai%2C_Calcutta_and_Madras_universities_each_get_Rs.1_billion_734/

Civitas

April 2nd, 2007, 05:35 AM

From Kolkata epaper of Times of India

Czech support to put light rail on track
24-Km First Phase To Link Joka With Shyambazar
Suman Chakraborti | TNN

Kolkata: The state government’s ambitious light rail transit system (LRT) project is set to get Czech backing soon. A Czechoslovakiabased firm, Amex Corporation, will provide the required technological support.
This was announced by chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb on Sunday. “We are yet to decide which firm will fund the project. The detailed project report (DPR) has been sent to the Centre for arranging the viability gap funding under the NURM scheme,” Deb said.
After floating expression of interest, four companies — Amex Corporation, Itochu, Siemens and Srei — were willing to fund and execute the project. Later, the Ambani group also wanted to fund the project, that will cost anything between Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 crore. However, a gap of about Rs 500 crore remained which was difficult to make up without additional funds from the Centre.
Accordingly, the state government approached the Prime Minister’s office. Following prolonged discussion, the Centre agreed to include the project under the NURM scheme and meet its additional fund requirement. The state government then engaged the Delhibased Consulting Engineering Services (CES) to prepare a detail project report (DPR) with technical modifications.
“The process to execute the LRT project has progressed positively. We have submitted the DPR to the state government,” said CES managing director S S Chakraborty.
Officials said that the government will soon officially announce the name of the companies to be involved in project implementation. “We hope to execute the project from this year so that it is complete five years. By that time, the proposed East-West metro project would also be on course, said an official.
For the LRT project, the government has so far selected a 24-kilometer route from Joka to Syambazar for implementation in the first phase. The route will later be extended to Panihati in the next phase. An elevated track would be set up 21 feet above the surface level.
Officials said that according to the proposed route alignment, Rs 107 crore would be required to set up the infrastructure for each kilometer. There would be 25 stations on the 24-km route. However, according to the DPR that has been submitted, there would be some technical modifications on this proposed route.
ON FAST TRACK
The state government had approached the PMO to meet the Rs 500-cr shortfall for the project
The Centre agreed to include the project under the NURM scheme and meet its additional fund requirement
The state government then engaged the Delhi-based CES to prepare a detailed project report with technical modifications

arijeetb

April 2nd, 2007, 06:09 PM

From Kolkata epaper of Times of India

This is positive news and looks like TGV/Reliance is out of the race??

India: Reliance Energy, France's TGV in talks for India rail project
AFX News Limited: 07.14.2006

BOMBAY (XFN-ASIA) - Reliance Energy Ltd, the power and infrastructure arm of the Anil Ambani group, is in talks with TGV of France to bid for the 30-bln rupees light railway transit system (LRTS) in Calcutta, Business Standard reported, citing sources close to the group.

A source told the paper that Reliance Energy will give a formal presentation on its plan to the West Bengal government on July 24.

Siemens and Amex International of the Czech Republic are also in the fray for the project, the report said.

'Reliance is ready to finance the project fully, but Siemens and Amex have asked for assistance; so the state government is eager to see Reliance Energy's formal proposal,' a government source was quoted as saying

Civitas

April 3rd, 2007, 04:20 AM

From epaper Times of India

Canadian firm on rapid bus service recce
Suman Chakraborti | TNN

Kolkata: A Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) around the city will be a reality soon. It took about a year for the state to accept the Canadian firm McCormick Rankin International’s proposal for a BRTS.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has been asked to conduct the project’s feasibility study. It will spend $1 million on the survey. “The state government has written to CIDA to conduct a feasibility study of the project at its own cost,” said an official of McCormick Rankin International(MRI).
“Work on the study will start by June and would be completed by the end of the year,” the official said. A CIDA team will also visit the city soon for the survey.
Urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya said the government was keen on BRTS along EM Bypass and in the city. CIDA will conduct the survey on a 47-km stretch from Barasat to Baruipur. Once the study is complete, the state would prepare a detailed project report to include the project under the Centre’s NURM scheme.
In November last year, the Canadian firm had proposed to the transport department to conduct a preliminary study for BRTS. It had also made a presentation before transport minister Subhas Chakraborty, who was very impressed with the proposal, more so because the firm said the state would not have to spend any money on the feasibility study.
MRI officials said BRTS would be very useful in Kolkata. “There would be no need to set up an elevated or underground track. Moreover, the price of ticket for a bus operating under the system will be much less than the LRT. For introduction of BRTS, only an exclusive dedicated corridor is required,” said an official.
Last year, IIT-Delhi had made a presentation before chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on BRTS.
NEW COURSE
The state has asked Canadian International Development Agency to conduct the feasibility study for Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) CIDA to spend Rs 4 crore on feasibility study Work on study to start in June and end in a year The survey will cover a 47-km stretch from Barasat to Baruipur

Suncity

April 3rd, 2007, 05:30 AM

wcgokul

April 3rd, 2007, 09:15 AM

Hope floats in Kolkata, with the employment situation here outshining that of Delhi, Chennai and Pune. This is exactly what the latest report of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) says. The average employment status of Kolkata, it adds, is higher than at least at a dozen Class 1 cities.

The study covered Class 1 cities (those with a population of 10 lakh and above), Class 2 and Class 3 towns — the former with a population over 50,000 and the latter, less.

Advertisement
According to the report for 2004-05, the employment status for males in Kolkata is 751 per thousand, while the number of females employed is 190 per thousand.

The employment status for males in Delhi is 714 per thousand and female employment is 112 per thousand. The figure for Chennai is 749 for male and 168 for female per thousand.

Still, while Kolkata is ahead of Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Nasik, it lags far behind Bangalore — 841 male and 202 female per thousand — and Mumbai (786 male and 267 female per thousand).

But Abhirup Sarkar, noted economist and professor at the Indian Statistical Institute, has a different opinion. “The employment scenario in Kolkata has definitely been looking up in the last few years. But, it might not actually be better than Delhi and Chennai,” he said. According to him, the situation has not much to offer qualitywise. The job seekers in Delhi or Chennai, he said, have a more solvent economic background and prefer to wait for the right kind of job. But in Kolkata, people are desparate enough to accept anything and even a lower salary does not deter them.

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=229791

arijeetb

April 3rd, 2007, 11:01 AM

Kolkata's bus service is extensive already. The only problem is poor quality roads and buses. Why not fix those first? Next should be the battered taxis. And of course finishing the Metro Rail upto Garia. The circualr railway should be put to better use and modern emu coaches should be introduced. The governments (state and central) need to concentrate on such basic stuff first. The track record is poor.

There is definitely a need for an overhaul in the existing buses..Just wondering what is the current quality of the 47 km stretch where the BRTS is planned..if it is not wide enough land would have to be acquired and one gets into the usual problems and bottlenecks

sudipta_rch

April 5th, 2007, 08:17 AM

There is definitely a need for an overhaul in the existing buses..Just wondering what is the current quality of the 47 km stretch where the BRTS is planned..if it is not wide enough land would have to be acquired and one gets into the usual problems and bottlenecks

The EM Bypass is wide with 6 lanes between Ultadanga and Ruby Connector.
The leftmost lanes are somewhat unusable due to slow-moving vehicles / parked vehicles in the Ultadanga - Stadium stretch. The authorities must strictly enforce a "No stopping anytime" policy on these roads and outlaw the slow moving vans and rickshaws. Then the road can serve as a high-speed bus corridor.

Suncity

April 7th, 2007, 04:29 AM

The largest Pantaloons store in the country at Kankurgachi

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/9656/pantaloonskankurgacchisyw0.jpg

Suncity

April 7th, 2007, 05:24 AM

Kolkata's second underground market is ready to open on April 20th..

Parkomat, underground mall to open on April 20

Automated car park to solve traffic woes near New Market. Major brands vie for space in swanky underground mall

TOI epaper

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2600/kolkataundergroundmarkerq8.jpg

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7261/kolkataundergroundmarkeks3.jpg

The date for the inauguration of Parkomat near New Market is finally fixed. On April 20, the curtains will go up on Kolkata’s second underground "marvel" after the Metro. Parkomat will be the country’s first underground fully-automated computerised car parking system. “It’s Kolkata’s second pride, after the Metro Railways,” says a visibly excited mayor Bikash Bhattacharya. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will push the lever to send the first car down to the parking lot. It is not only expected to solve the parking mess in the New Market area but also improve traffic conditions.

The multi-level parking plaza will accommodate 270 cars — 120 more than the cars parked on average every day on Lindsay Street. Even during festivals, the rush never exceeds more than 250 cars so the Parkomat will solve traffic congestion at one go.

Gautam Dasgupta, deputy general manager, Simplex, said, “Our software has been designed to accommodate the present one-way system. But we will be able to accommodate changes, as per the traffic department’s instructions.” Parkomat was built downwards from the top, he said. “The shopping mall is on the first floor and the parking area on the ground floor. It is absolutely sanitised and secure,” said Dasgupta.

The mall will be an added attraction for shoppers and car owners. Several well known brands — including Cafe Coffee Day — are interested to take up floor space in the underground mall.

The Parkomat is already making waves across the country. Dasgupta said Delhi Municipal Corporation has appointed it as consultant for similar multi-level car parking projects, which have become mandatory in the capital after a recent Supreme Court order.

fred_the_cute_guy

April 7th, 2007, 06:09 AM

I had taken a sudden very-short trip to my native place in Bengal last week (Hyd-CCU airport-Howrah station-My hometown-back). To my surprise I got an impression from the train that the Liluah ROB is nearing completion. The part above the railway appeared complete (from below) and from what I could make out from a speeding train was that the approach roads also seemed to be built to a good extent.

arijeetb

April 7th, 2007, 10:27 AM

Siemens India — the Rs 9000-crore Indian arm of technology conglomerate Siemens AG — has decided to make Kolkata one of its principal information technology hubs and increase the headcount of IT staff here by a few thousand over the next three to four years.

Siemens and its subsidiaries plan to increase their employees in Kolkata from the current around 1000 to 10,000 in the next three to four years.

Read the complete article @http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=230358

arijeetb

April 7th, 2007, 10:28 AM

fred_the_cute_guy

April 8th, 2007, 07:56 AM

Any pictures?

Unfortunately no... Will get back if I manage to find any in the internet, but I doubt!

Jai

April 8th, 2007, 06:03 PM

CHARACTER ASSASSINATION (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070408/asp/calcutta/story_7578552.asp)
The building boom has moved to the north. But unlike the south, the brand-new housing projects proliferating in this gray area stick out a mile
Split image: The old building (top) near Girish Park that was replaced recently by a glass tower. Pictures by Soumitra Das and Bishwarup Dutta

The two tall buildings of 1920s vintage stood side by side at one corner of Girish Park. The one at 209 Chittaranjan Avenue with its projecting balconies and triangular pediment crowned with an urn was the more showy of the two. Before the two were demolished a little more than a year ago, they had been vacant for quite some time. All the doors and windows were shuttered and in the evening they looked haunted.

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/2203/08bari23113790pu6.jpg
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7379/08house13114982sl3.jpg
Split image: The old building (top) near Girish Park that was replaced recently by a glass tower. Pictures by Soumitra Das and Bishwarup Dutta

Then one day about two years ago, both were swathed in polythene sheets. In a few days, all that was left of the two was their shells. The sky was visible through the top floor. Soon both buildings were erased from the Vivekananda Road crossing. Construction work began almost overnight. And with equal alacrity the developers were through with their work. Twin glass towers have come up there with enviable speed. One houses a bank now. The second is a health club.

Raze and rebuild

Such sudden disappearing acts followed by the rebirth of old buildings in totally new avatars are happening with alarming regularity all over north Calcutta, and right into the suburbia along BT Road. This had been happening in the south for quite some, but now such perfervid building activity has caught up with the north of the city and its dusty, gray neighbourhoods and chequerboard of roofs that was so quintessentially Calcutta.

Promoters, both big and medium, such as Safecom Construction, North Calcutta Builders, Saket Promoters, Krishna Abasan, SD Construction, Space Group, Rice Group, Orbit Group, Heritage Realty Group, Siddeswari Group and Merlin Group are engaged in cloning building blocks in Baguiati, Dum Dum, Bangur, Kestopur, Jatindra Mohan Avenue, Kankurgachhi and Cossipore.

Billboards galore

Hoardings and notice boards advertising these projects bloom all over and are quite as visible as the ones that promote new schools with weird names, some invoking Derozio, and nursing homes and diagnostic centres. Some of these housing projects have names such as Shrachi Lakewoods, Siddeswari Garden and Sisir Kunj evocative of Arcadia, sylvan greens, transparent waterbodies and dew drops.

Projects with names like Green View “with club facilities” near Rathtala and Dunlop Sheraton near Dunlop bridge try to hook middle-class customers with the lure of high life. Great Eastern Trading Company has opened a huge TV showroom near Sinthee, and Reebok has a brand-new factory outlet opposite the Rabindra Bharati University’s Emerald Bower campus on BT Road. Prasad Nagar in Agarpara is as busy as a beehive and the Peerless Group has its very own “nagar” or township in Sodepore.

Number crunching

Aditya Shroff of Diamond Group, which started two years ago, says it is developing Diamond City North, a 10 lakh sq ft residential project on Jessore Road. Flats were selling for Rs 1,100 per sq ft to begin with, but the rate has escalated to Rs 1,900 in two years.

The group is also developing a commercial project there. This 4 lakh sq ft property on a build-and-lease model is meant to house INOX and Pantaloons, for the first time in the north. Two other commercial projects on VIP Road are being negotiated, says Shroff.

He adds: “There are definitely more housing projects in the south but more smaller projects are coming up in the north. Land prices have shot up in the south. It is not viable.”

Gorachand Mondal, director general, buildings, Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC), admits that although it began in the south, the building boom has moved to the north. And the CMC does not mind. “This board is trying to relax building rules in the case of old structures in the north,” he says.

Old and new

In the north the juxtaposition of the old and new is far more spectacular than in the south because for generations things had remained unchanged in this bastion of orthodoxy. But youthful clothes do not sit well on an ageing body. The new constructions — mostly jerry-buildings — stand out a mile.

For, save these constructions, most of the problems that north Calcutta has inherited over the years continue to dog it. The promoter-politician-police nexus is only interested in making a quick buck.Developers are cashing in on the perennial demand for living space. In many of the para building projects the people of the neighbourhood themselves move into the new flats, sometimes extended families occupying almost an entire property.

This onslaught of development is gradually changing the character of neighbourhoods. College Street market is going. Ganesh Garh, a Marwari bastion in Chitpur (Sikdarbagan) and earlier a part of the Cossimbazar rajwadi estate, has been obliterated. Then the tenants were ejected and now Lakhotia Transport will certainly start its activities soon.

Demolition squad

Paikpara Rajbati on BT Road opposite the new Chitpur flyover was taken apart brick by brick about two years ago. Now it waits for a promoter.

Facing the terrace of Prasad built by Jatindra Mohan Tagore in Pathuriaghata are the Disneyland turrets of Tagore Castle . Next to it is the house of the Mullick family topped by classical statuary. Three huge structures have already come up next to these, the newest one in a demolished section of the Burrabazar branch of Metropolitan school.

In Kailash Bose Street, a good part of Lahabari is gone. Pearl Apartments has come up in its place. Another structure is coming up behind an Amherst Street newspaper office. Bengali heartland is under attack.

Space tricks

One hears more horror stories as one moves deeper north in Bagbazar where the houses stick to one another. It is impossible to build an apartment block there. So either the owner or the buyer seeks permission to refurbish an old house from the CMC but actually rebuilds it within under cover of the polythene sheets, using which has become mandatory. Promoters have not spared sprawling garages in that area either. In Goabagan, khatals from which cattle have been driven out and abandoned oil mills have met the same fate.

Ranjan Bandopadhyay and Anup Motilal, both long-time residents of Baranagar, say zamindars used to build their pleasances here. Golakdham which had 100 rooms and belonged to Jaynarayan Banerjee had become derelict. About three years ago it became an apartment block.

Motilal Mallik of Chitpur’s “ghariwala Mallikbari” fame owned a garden house in Baranagar which had a pond next to it. Now it is gone. Quite predictably, it was developed. For a long time, promoters had been eyeing the house in Garpar in which Satyajit Ray grew up. The good news is that funds from private sources will soon be available to save it from the demolition squad.

=========

VERTIGO

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/2540/08tower31158f3yo6.jpg

Imagine a 24-storey building designed by Hafeez Contractor of Mumbai in the heart of Sealdah “affording a view of the Eden Gardens Stadium, Howrah bridge, St Andrew’s church, Subhas Sarobar and other Calcutta landmarks”.

This, according to a flyer available on demand at the site where four towers are coming up, the tallest of which named Cirrus is 24 storeys high. Two others, Nimbus and Cumulus, are 23 storeys each, while the fourth, Stratus, is 19 storeys. The flyer mentions the other facilities (health spa, club, koi ponds, swimming pools, palm grove, cascading waterbodies) which will be available in the 800,000 sq ft residential space in the form of 500 plus flats.

“At Rs 2,650 a sq ft now, and this could go up to Rs 2,750 soon,” says the young man who oversees the smart new glass office amidst a wilderness of stone chips and sand barricaded by walls of tin sheets.

What the flyer neglects to mention is that Ideal Heights, whose landscape architect is from Singapore, is being built on 2.19 lakh sq ft at 302 APC Road, which also happens to be the premises of Cossimbazar Rajbati. The aristocratic home has survived but it will be dwarfed by the towers in three years.

“World-class lifestyle environment” and “historic architecture” within shouting distance of Sealdah station and its anarchic environs.
SOUMITRA DAS

Civitas

April 9th, 2007, 12:09 AM

If this comes up, it will be the best road transport project till date for Kolkata.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070409/asp/calcutta/story_7621758.asp

The proposed elevated corridor around the city — with Strand Road serving as starting/ending point — is finally set to take shape.

The state government has given its “in-principle” go-ahead to the proposal, which was buried in files for the past few years. The 42-km ring road will provide a quicker route to motorists travelling from one fringe to another.

“Once the elevated corridor is laid, vehicles travelling from, say, Howrah to Ultadanga will not need to enter the city and push the heavy traffic in the central business district. The same can be said of vehicles moving from north to south. That will save a lot of time,” explained a transport department official.

“Since this is a massive project — the cost has been pegged at Rs 4,000 crore — the plan is to go in for public-private partnership,” the official added. “A Malaysian company has expressed eagerness to take up the project and has been asked to make a presentation in a week and a half.”

The presentation, to be held at Writers’ Buildings, is likely to be attended by a host of ministers and senior officials, including the chief secretary and the finance secretary.

According to the transport department’s plan, the four-lane corridor, with a divider running all through, will start from Strand Road and run over Strand Bank Road, Shyambazar five-point crossing, VIP Road, EM Bypass, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Alipore Road and Diamond Harbour Road before touching down on Strand Road again.

There will be arms in at-least 11 intersections — including Ultadanga Road-EM Bypass, Shyambazar five-point, Strand Road-Rabindra Setu, St George’s Gate Road-Strand Road. Work is likely to proceed in phases, with engineers pointing at a few glitches that are yet to be ironed out.

Suncity

April 9th, 2007, 04:52 AM

While Kolkata's private bus mafia is claiming that 'huge losses' are the reason why they cannot replace the broken tin buses (anyone who sees how they pack those buses knows that they cannot run on losses), the state owned CSTC is introducing new buses

Revving up for a style statement

TOI epaper

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/8104/cstcnewbusnw5.th.jpg (http://img162.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cstcnewbusnw5.jpg)

With killer looks and comfortable seats, the new government bus fleet is transforming life for commuters in Kolkata

They are the new eye-catchers on the road. Move over swanky SUVs and flashy cars, sleek low-floor buses are hogging the road — and the limelight.
Only the red-and-yellow tiger logo gives them away as government buses.

These new buses are spurring a metamorphosis of the city’s passenger transit system. The Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC), Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) and West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (WBSTC) are replacing old red junks with a brand new fleet. Swanky from the outside and spacious inside, they are revolutionising the experience of commuting in Kolkata. There is more leg room for those seated and elbow room for those standing.

Since the fare is the same, these buses are becoming hugely popular among commuters and are giving private buses a tough run for their money.

CSTC is thrilled with its new fleet of Star buses. “These semi low-floor, spacious buses are extremely comfortable for both seating and standing. They look trendy and it is also safer to get on and off these buses,” said CSTC managing director Ashok Bhattacharjee. “These buses will be much better maintained because they will be cleaned by machines. We are repairing the automatic bus cleaning bays for this,” he added.

The drivers of CSTC buses also relish the change. “The computerised system is far superior to the buses we used to drive. It is a new experience for us,” said one of them at Esplanade depot.

With the new low-floor buses and the 280 new ones bought two years ago, CSTC is making a real style statement. “We are repairing and painting BS-I
buses as well. We will not have a single dirty-looking bus on our fleet from now on,” said a CSTC officer.

It is, in fact, the government’s drive for stricter emission norms that triggered the image makeover. “We must thank the anti-pollution drive for this change in our policy.

900 km in 9 hours flat, long journeys are lots of fun

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/5932/volvoashokkolkatabusesty8.jpg

Long before swanky government buses came to Kolkata, they were burning up the miles on long haul routes. A fleet of Volvo buses now connects the city to Siliguri, Asansol, Guwahati, Vizag, Varanasi and Puri. “These buses have redefined long-distance bus travel from Kolkata,” said Gautam Banerjee, executive director of Kaushik Logistics, a joint-venture partner with West Bengal Surface transport Corporation.

“They take less time than trains and give as much comfort as an aircraft. A powerful combination of hydraulics and air suspension eliminates jerks, vibration and cabin noise even on bad roads. Soothing interiors and upholstery and high quality video make it a top draw,” said WBSTC managing director A Mondal.

Gone are the days when people would settle for a bus journey only if train tickets were not available. More and more people are opting for bus rides to Siliguri, Ranchi, Asansol or even Vizag, said Gautam Banerjee.

Introduced by WBSTC in 2006, these 44-seaters have changed the definition of a bus journey with fully air-conditioned interiors, reclining leather seats and toilets. The corporation has fixed its fare and travel time to compete with trains. Buses on the Kolkata-Vizag route, for instance, complete 900 km in just 9 hours, passing through major cities like Kharagpur, Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Behrampore. A trip from Kolkata to Siliguri costs Rs 740.

At Rs 1.20 per km, the Volvo fare is steeper than other buses. “But the rest are not as comfortable. I don’t mind shelling out a little to travel in a bus like this,” says Sujit Das, who takes the Volvo regularly between Kolkata and Siliguri.

WBSTC plans to increase the number of such buses to 20 by this year.

Shabby private buses mar transport makeover mission

The city’s streets may still look shabby, in spite of swanky state buses because private buses are unlikely to take the makeover route.

Owners of private buses claim they are running huge losses and cannot afford to redo their vehicles or get new ones. The transport department fears this will defeat the entire purpose of the transport reform. “Private buses carry some 4.1 million passengers a day. So, any transformation of public transport will be incomplete without private buses following suit. We have asked private owners to redo the exteriors of their buses by August. Later, they will be asked to change the interiors, including seating arrangements,” said a transport official.

“We have pushed them to transform their buses but they are not ready for change. Private owners say their business is in complete disarray with losses mounting every day,” said an official of the Public Vehicle department (PVD).

It was four years ago that PVD had directed private bus owners to re-model their buses by improving seating arrangements to give more leg space and make travel more comfortable for standing passengers. Little came of it.

According to modified motor vehicle norms, a bus can no longer be built of combustible materials like timber. Only buses made of aluminum (with MS structures) will be allowed to ply in Kolkata. The new rules state that buses must have three steps, each 9 inches deep and at least 30 inches in length with the height of the first step from the road at least 15. All seats should be facing forward with the height of seat cushions not exceeding 20 inches from the floor. There must be 11 inches of leg space and the number of seats should not exceed 41. This is tough for private operators who want to cram in as many seats as possible.

“It is not that we do not want reform. We always care for passenger comfort and better amenities. But we have been pushed to a corner. The government has adopted a policy which almost ensures our exit from the trade. We are prime transporters, as far as passenger carriers are concerned. But the government never bothered to help us reorganise this major public utility service,” said joint secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate Tapan Banerjee. “We know that no city runs such ugly buses. But the government should take the initiative so that our trade becomes viable,” he added.

Suncity

April 9th, 2007, 05:01 AM

Panel to monitor Dankuni project

TOI epaper

Chastened by the Singur and Nandigram episodes, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has formed a 15-member committee to monitor land acquisition and other administrative aspects of the Rs 33,000-crore Dankuni township project spread over 4,500 acre area.

Officials said the committee will oversee the project implementation process as per the approved plan. The high-powered panel will hold consultation with local villagers and district administration before acquiring lands in phases so that no misunderstanding takes place. The committee, comprising senior KMDA officials, was formed in the last week of March. “We welcome the decision to form the committee as it would help to prevent and resolve any dispute regarding land acquisition and other administrative aspects of the project,” said development employees joint action committee secretary P B Nag.

Initially, it was decided that the government will hand over 4,000 acre of land
to DLF by the year-end. The state has revised its plan by now and aims to address the post-Nandigram scenario in Dankuni in phases. It has now decided to acquire about 150 acre in the first phase. The project is slated to be completed by 2011.

Land acquisition apart, the committee will take up plans to beef up the infrastructure required for setting up the township. Work will be undertaken in phases to meet the its infrastructure needs like roads, sewerage and drainage systems and streetlights. A water treatment plant will be installed adjacent to the township’s proposed area. KMDA has allocated Rs 10 crore for the project from its own financial resources.

The township will have sprawling bungalows, housing complexes, hospitals, educational institutions, multiplexes, entertainment parks and swimming pools for about 1.5 million population. With a logistics hub at Kona and the second Vivekananda Setu coming up soon, Dankuni will witness a surge in population. So, proper infrastructure must be developed to meet daily requirements of the township’s populace, officials said.

sudipta_rch

April 9th, 2007, 07:42 AM

sudipta_rch

April 9th, 2007, 08:11 AM

Elevated ring road for free car flow (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070409/asp/calcutta/story_7621758.asp)

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070409/images/09road.jpg
According to the transport department’s plan, the four-lane corridor, with a divider running all through, will start from Strand Road and run over Strand Bank Road, Shyambazar five-point crossing, VIP Road, EM Bypass, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Alipore Road and Diamond Harbour Road before touching down on Strand Road again.

There will be arms in at-least 11 intersections — including Ultadanga Road-EM Bypass, Shyambazar five-point, Strand Road-Rabindra Setu, St George’s Gate Road-Strand Road. Work is likely to proceed in phases, with engineers pointing at a few glitches that are yet to be ironed out.

arijeetb

April 9th, 2007, 10:30 AM

Elevated ring road for free car flow (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070409/asp/calcutta/story_7621758.asp)

Great news for Kolkata..:cheers: when complete i believe it should be the longest elevated road in the country...hope they arrive at a more specific plan soon mentioning the various deadlines

fred_the_cute_guy

April 9th, 2007, 03:25 PM

Great news for Kolkata..:cheers: when complete i believe it should be the longest elevated road in the country...hope they arrive at a more specific plan soon mentioning the various deadlines

Yes, great indeed. Let's hope it happens...

Would love something far longer, but something is better than nothing.

Tintin27

April 9th, 2007, 07:52 PM

cool new buses...the private city buses (i call them puffed rice tins) should be banished from the city ! hate the sight of them !

Have been on those buses. While the ride is much more comfortable, because of one conductor, and one door buses CSTC uses, they keep only one door open.. That also half of one door a lot of times and I have no clue why. The doors are not automatic(as far as the conductor told me) but they have a stop button at the top of the doors which the conductor presses to alert the driver to stop.

Suncity

April 9th, 2007, 08:17 PM

Kaushik Logistics website

http://www.royalcruiser.com/

http://i14.tinypic.com/33bimc5.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/2z3qsm8.jpg

vivekkedia

April 11th, 2007, 02:38 PM

Hi all,
Some of the pics of New Town IT Park that i took today , its located at Action Area 1 just behind DPS New Town and Tata Medical Cancer research hospital.

The Entry to the IT Park, with DPS new town in backdrop
http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054434661278498
http://lh6.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyAvcvsIyI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/phBkvexgX_I/s800/IT%20Park%20Entry%20road.jpg

The IT park land alloted to my company
http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054945762386882
http://lh5.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyBNMvsI8I/AAAAAAAAB-o/6ZBZBCIo9Yk/s800/Vivek%20at%20land.jpg

The construction of Tata Medical Cancer research hospital recently started with greenfield heights (almost complete) in the backdrop
http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054765373760370
http://lh3.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyBCsvsI3I/AAAAAAAAB-A/mq9LaWX5Eqc/s800/Tata%20hospital%20and%20green%20fielf%20heights.jpg

The Unitech IT park being constructed as seen from the IT Park
http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054945762386866
http://lh5.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyBNMvsI7I/AAAAAAAAB-g/6cA7cMn4Iys/s800/View%20from%20grmtech%20land.jpg
One more pic http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054434661278514
http://lh6.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyAvcvsIzI/AAAAAAAAB9g/FxLmVAM5nPs/s800/IT%20Park%20entry.jpg

DPS New town as seen from the IT park
http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054765373760386
http://lh3.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyBCsvsI4I/AAAAAAAAB-I/5FoIK-G2wUs/s800/View%202%20from%20grmtech%20land.jpg

IT Park roads ( awfully narrow )
http://picasaweb.google.com/vivekkedia/OfficeAtDH629AA1NewTown/photo#5052054765373760402
http://lh3.google.com/image/vivekkedia/RhyBCsvsI5I/AAAAAAAAB-Q/g5FLImVSfzc/s800/View%203%20fromgrmtech%20land.jpg

I will keep posting more pics of the Webel SME IT park and neighbours and new town as my office building gets constructed there.

vivek kedia

Suncity

April 11th, 2007, 02:41 PM

Hi all,
Some of the pics of New Town IT Park that i took today , its located at Action Area 1 just behind DPS New Town and Tata Medical Cancer research hospital.

Thanks Vivek!

Is this IT Park the one that they said they would allot to smaller companies?

Looking forward to more pics.

arijeetb

April 11th, 2007, 05:02 PM

[QUOTE=vivekkedia;12607124]Hi all,
Some of the pics of New Town IT Park that i took today , its located at Action Area 1 just behind DPS New Town and Tata Medical Cancer research hospital.

^^ Nice updates to New Town :)

Jai

April 11th, 2007, 05:39 PM

Synthesis Business Park by Bengal Shrachi Housing Development Ltd.
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/743/28238772rq9op4.jpg (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2649/28238772rq9.jpg)

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/3830/29703743au0.jpg

Synthesis Business Park is coming up in kolkata’s latest business destination- New Town. Spread across 3075 hectares, this new township in Rajarhat is an initiative of the Government of West Bengal in response to the surging need of resurgent Bengal. According to official plans, New Town will see investments to the tune of Rs 14,5000 crores in real estate development in the coming decade.

Jai

April 11th, 2007, 05:52 PM

From April, Construction World
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7449/71377600bq7.jpg

arijeetb

April 11th, 2007, 09:08 PM

West Bengal will be the first State in the country to have the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). Close on the heels of Bengal are Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Bhopal who are planning to float tenders for having BRTS in the capital cities.

The announcement for starting work on Light Rail Transit (LRT-Monorail) system in the city due any day, the State government has recently sanctioned the carrying out of technical study for Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in the metro.

The State government has asked a reputed Canadian firm, McCormick Rankin International, having expertise in running BRTS in Canada to carry out a technical study for operating the BRTS on the 85-km stretch of the East-West Corridor.

Passing through some parts of the city, the BRTS would connect Basirhat in North 24 Parganas with Santragachi in Howrah. After the State government showed interest to carry out the technical study for BRTS in the city, the Canadian government got in touch with the State transport department and offered grant for the study.

This means that the technical study would not cost a penny for the State government. The BRTS would ply on the ground level on dedicated, elevated tracks. It is learnt that Rs 80 crore would be spent for the construction of one km elevated track. However, the cost of construction would be much lower when the buses ply on the ground level.

“This is the age of speed. And BRTS would not only help reduce speed but it would also help reduce the traffic pressure on the city roads. The technical study would take three-to-four months and after that the Detailed Project Report would be studied before the work begins,” said Transport Minister Subhas Chakrabarty.

The BRTS plying on Barrackpore Road and NH 24 would move from Basirhat to Belgharia, Dum Dum, Ultadanga, Paroma Island – from here the BRTS will take the new flyover and then again use the AJC Road flyover to reach Race Course. Then it would ply over the second Hooghly Bridge and the Kona Expressway to reach Santragachi.

Travelling at a speed of 130 km/hr with an aerodynamic body, each bus would carry 62 passengers. And the bus service would be every 10 minutes. It is estimated that Rs 6,000 crore would be spent for this project, but that is not a problem for the State government as Srei Capital has already come forward with lease loan.

Five months back, Srei Capital signed a MoU with McCormick Rankin International, by the virtue of which it has become the finance manager for the Canadian firm in all the BRTS projects in the city.

“After West Bengal, it would be Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. These State government have given the Expression of Interest for inviting players who can run BRTS in the metro,” informed an Srei Capital official. While the Canadian firm would conduct the technical study for BRTS, Srei would prepare the financial roadmap.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=29978545-4050-4ca1-a619-4dacb24e526e&MatchID1=4444&TeamID1=2&TeamID2=10&MatchType1=2&SeriesID1=1104&PrimaryID=4444

Suncity

April 11th, 2007, 09:23 PM

Doesn't Pune and Indore already have BRTS?

arijeetb

April 11th, 2007, 09:25 PM

Doesn't Pune and Indore already have BRTS?

Yes, I would have thought so...it does not look accurate

kolkata

April 12th, 2007, 02:50 AM

Hopefully something will be finalized soon...

East-West rail revived
- Japan bank rolls out Linear Metro plan for 18.65 km

The East-West Metro railway project was put back on track by Japanese experts with a presentation at Writers’ Buildings on Wednesday.The original plan was for an underground railway link between Rajarhat and Howrah with a tunnel running beneath the Hooghly.The Japan Bank of International Co-operation (JBIC) officials, however, suggested a truncated route from Central Park in Salt Lake to Domjur in Howrah.

The verdict from the senior government officials after the meeting was that the project could be executed if its cost was scaled down. “The JBIC team made its presentation on Wednesday. The team plans to return soon. It would not be proper to comment on the matter just yet,” transport secretary Sumantra Chaudhury told Metro after the presentation.

The JBIC experts, in their presentation, pegged the estimated project cost at Rs 4,250 crore, which the government officials felt was “on the higher side”.It has been decided that 15 per cent of the cost would be borne by the state government, 15 per cent by the Union government and 64 per cent by the JBIC. The remaining six per cent will be raised through debt equity.According to the preliminary JBIC plan, the project would cover 18.65 km, with nine underground stations and one station on the surface.

“The JBIC report mentions that work can begin in 2008 and be completed by 2014. To ensure that the work starts in 2008, they have suggested the formation of a team comprising officials of the Union government’s urban development department and their counterparts in the state,” revealed a senior official of the finance department, who attended the meeting.

Officials present at the meeting stated that the state government was keen to cash in on the Linear Metro technology, which JBIC wants to use for the project.
“The technology is considered to be the most advanced for underground train services. In Linear Metro, the tunnel size is almost half that of a conventional metro. Even the size of the trains is smaller and they can easily climb a steep gradient. The gap between the wheel and the track is less than that for conventional underground trains,” explained a senior official of the transport department.
The Linear Metro technology is used in the Tokyo subway. But it comes at a cost. According to officials who sat through the JBIC presentation, each Linear Metro coach costs over Rs 6 crore, more than double the cost of a Metro Rail coach. Around 65 coaches will be needed for the East-West Metro project.

Source: The Telegraph

kolkata

April 12th, 2007, 02:52 AM

Suncity

April 12th, 2007, 02:58 AM

The much anticipated news is official.... :bash:
A trip on the Tollygunge-Garia Metro Railway will have to wait another year

Source:http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070412/asp/calcutta/story_7635823.asp

I was expecting this after I read this article a few days ago..

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1089208

Prolonged agitations by the Trinamool Congress against land acquisition in different parts of West Bengal have boomeranged for a number of party heavyweights including Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Ironically, caught in the trap of the party’s self-created opposition programme on land acquisition, the Trinamool leaders are now unable to convince the people in their own constituencies to refrain from opposing land acquisition for social infrastructure projects.

The most badly affected has been the extension of the Kolkata metro rail projects in southern part of Kolkata beyond Tollygunj till Garia, the entire part of which comes under the parliamentary constituency of South Kolkata, where the elected MP is Mamata Banerjee herself.

However, the railways department had been unable to acquire land for the project in a large stretch of Garia evicting the illegal slums and unauthorised shops there. Every time the railways personnel went to evict land there, they had to back out following severe resistance from the locals. The extension would have meant connecting the extreme ends of south and north Kolkata.

The railways department has sought the cooperation of Mamata in this regard, but till now she had avoided their plea.

Incidentally, the extension of the Kolkata metro beyond Tollygunj till Garia had been Mamata’s brainchild, when she was the railway minister during the earlier NDA regime and the subsequent railway ministers like Nithish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav too agreed to go ahead with it.

arijeetb

April 12th, 2007, 05:23 PM

I was expecting this after I read this article a few days ago..

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1089208

It would still be a relief if the 03/08 deadline is met..

soham

April 12th, 2007, 06:30 PM

we need new coaches

Suncity

April 13th, 2007, 02:20 AM

Logistics hub set to take off
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070410/asp/calcutta/story_7622836.asp

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1531/logisticshubkolkatatv4.jpg

The first phase of the Rs 1,000-crore Kolkata International Logistics City (KILC), in Howrah, will be ready for handover in 18 months, the developers say, and the entire logistics and distribution hub is expected to be completed in five years.

The 108.43-acre project on two adjacent sites is being touted the “most modern, integrated logistics hub in India”, set to house 16 to 20 two-storeyed warehouses, six G+9 logistics office towers, parking for 750-odd trucks/trailers/LCVs, allied amenities plus ancillary housing and retail. Drawings have been submitted and we should start work soon.

Bengal Unitech Universal is a joint venture between Unitech Ltd and the Universal Success Group of NRI businessman Prasoon Mukherjee. It has been appointed by CMDA, the statutory planning authority, to implement the prestige project. Jurong Consultants of Singapore are principal project consultants.

The 73.65-acre north parcel will focus on the development of the logistics hub and the 34.78 acres of land in the south parcel will be used for ancillary residential and retail-cum-commercial development.

Bengal Unitech Universal hopes it will also help provide new local employment, reduce heavy-vehicle traffic congestion in the city core areas, minimise pollution and cut logistics costs by centralising logistics services.

KILC is expected to provide logistics support and office space for courier services like FedEx and Blue Dart and help retail majors like Pantaloons (The Future Group) and Reliance manage their supply chain better, or help an F&B giant like McDonald’s control its cold chain more efficiently.

Packers and movers, newsprint, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, edibles, white goods and automobiles are some of the other sectors the logistics hub would support.

Civitas

April 13th, 2007, 04:31 AM

^^
Logistics hub set to take off
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070410/asp/calcutta/story_7622836.asp

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1531/logisticshubkolkatatv4.jpg

where is this coming up ? no mention of location

Suncity

April 13th, 2007, 04:59 AM

^^

where is this coming up ? no mention of location

Kona Expressway

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/9678/konatermilanunitechsox4.jpg

Civitas

April 13th, 2007, 02:59 PM

^^
Thanks Sun !!!
Kona Expressway

arijeetb

April 13th, 2007, 06:47 PM

^^

where is this coming up ? no mention of location

Looking at the grand plans, I am wondering the 108 acres looks pretty less...

Suncity

April 14th, 2007, 04:06 AM

The "temporary?" bus terminus in Rajarhat

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/7278/topbusterminustoibk5.jpg

Suncity

April 14th, 2007, 05:27 AM

Unitech's sales office
photos from rmjm

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4905/infospaceitparkmarketincf9.jpg

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/5304/infospaceitparkmarketinoz7.jpg

arijeetb

April 14th, 2007, 06:59 AM

The "temporary?" bus terminus in Rajarhat

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/7278/topbusterminustoibk5.jpg

Looks Nice and clean.

arijeetb

April 14th, 2007, 07:02 AM

[QUOTE=Suncity;12655409]Unitech's sales office

It can pass off as a MNC campus :cheers:!!.The glass and the manicured lawn have a international feel to it.

sudipta_rch

April 14th, 2007, 08:03 AM

The "temporary?" bus terminus in Rajarhat

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/7278/topbusterminustoibk5.jpg

wow! that looks really great compared to kolkata standards. this must be the "green" terminal they were talking about. too bad its only temporary..the permanent one is supposed to come up another 1/2 km down the main road...but it will be in the basement of a shopping cum entertainment complex.

question: are those big white (wbstc?) buses long distance ones ?

arijeetb

April 14th, 2007, 11:25 AM

The Videocon Group on Friday unveiled a slew of projects for the state. These include assembling LCD unit at Taratala, creating two IT and biotech SEZs in Siliguri and Kharagpur, building a 32 lakh sqft IT tower in Salt Lake, setting up a semiconductor facility near Kolkata.

The full article is available here:
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=161127

Hindustani

April 14th, 2007, 11:12 PM

let alone calcutta. Its above and beyond any indian city standards. look at the amount of greenary. Every inch of area that is not used by pedestrians is laid out with grass. & for once, people are not sitting on the grass & actually sitting on the benches. how often does that happen in India. :)

wow! that looks really great compared to kolkata standards. this must be the "green" terminal they were talking about. too bad its only temporary..the permanent one is supposed to come up another 1/2 km down the main road...but it will be in the basement of a shopping cum entertainment complex.

question: are those big white (wbstc?) buses long distance ones ?

cbeboy

April 15th, 2007, 09:09 PM

Simpark hi-tech underground car parking system for Kolkata (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/04/16/stories/2007041600621100.htm)

Simpark Infrastructure (P) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Simplex Projects Ltd, braving several odds has just completed an underground modern automated car parking system at one of the most congested areas of the city - the New Market complex, a relic of the Raj to which all Kolkatans are emotionally attached.

A trip to the Market for pre-Christmas shopping is a must for both young and old.

The engineering marvel 30 ft below the ground has been achieved without disturbing the red brick-stoned heritage New Market structure facing the southern façade, including the fabulous clock tower to the left.

Initially planned as a multi-level car park above ground, the BOT project, facing stiff resistance from the market shop establishments, was shifted below with a shopping mall at the minus one level and the actual gantry system car parking at the minus two level. Sheet piling over a period of 18 months was done to safeguard the old buildings facing the market complex.

Top down construction method has been adopted (no cannibalisation of the top surface), and the gantry system can be accessed through five entry points (gates) for cars to be placed on pallets, which will take them down to the designated parking slot. Fully computerised, there will be just one person each at the entry point to operate the system, and car recovery is said to take just 90 seconds.

Showpiece

Cited as Kolkata's first underground automated car parking system, the project, commissioned by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), according to Mr B.K. Mundhra, Chairman and Managing Director of Simplex Projects, was now acting as a showpiece attracting municipal corporations from around the country. He said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has already signed an agreement with Simpark for such projects at more than one stations.

Talking to Business Line on the various challenges faced during the four-year construction period of the Rs 34-crore BOT project (with a 20-year concession period) by the Simpark engineering team, Mr Mundhra said the company has been able to just about break-even.

"The gain for us is the immense satisfaction of having completed such a difficult project in a small stretch (just 40,000 sq ft), capable of accommodating some 280 cars."

He said the KMC would get 5 per cent of the parking fees, which is projected to be around Rs 2.5 lakh annually. The main earning for KMC will be through secondary basic rent from shop owners in the plaza.

This is expected to yield annually around Rs 10 lakh for KMC while providing hassle-free parking for Kolkatans. Some 150 shop owners are said to have booked space at the plaza.

Asked on Simpark's future plans, Mr Mundhra said the company was planning to enter the semi-automatic private "retail parking" segment with the "Intelligent Cubicle Sliding" system, for which it has entered into a strategic tie-up with a Korean company.

He said orders for prototypes of the compact system, which can be installed easily at building sites to fulfil private parking needs, have already been placed.

A base level model, for holding some 8-10 cars, may cost anything between Rs 1.75 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh.

arijeetb

April 16th, 2007, 04:44 PM

let alone calcutta. Its above and beyond any indian city standards. look at the amount of greenary. Every inch of area that is not used by pedestrians is laid out with grass. & for once, people are not sitting on the grass & actually sitting on the benches. how often does that happen in India. :)

Not very often.... the real challenge however would be maintain it this way. If we compare with the Metro stations which have been so very well maintained over the last 23 years, I am positive in this case :)

arijeetb

April 16th, 2007, 08:13 PM

New Delhi: April 14: The government proposes to develop the Delhi-Calcutta freight route into an industrial corridor on the lines of the one proposed between Delhi and Mumbai. Preliminary studies on the proposed corridor will start in early 2008.

The Delhi-Calcutta freight corridor, which will comprise a railway and highway link, will connect New Delhi to Bengal via Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh and is expected to cost about Rs 20,000 crore.

Read the complete article at
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070415/asp/business/story_7649583.asp

Suncity

April 17th, 2007, 03:53 AM

Homeland Mall opens
TOI epaper

photo

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8687/homelandmallkolkatasx8.jpg

Building a home has just got easier with the launch of Homeland, the city’s first one-stop home solutions mega-store at Bhowanipore on Monday.

Spread across six levels, the 1,00,000 sq ft-plus Homeland mall showcases a wide range of materials and services required to build a home. “All major brands in hardware goods, pipes, tiles, marble, laminate, mirror & glass, sanitaryware, furniture, modular kitchens, furnishing, electrical items, construction chemicals, paints, wall paper and white goods are present directly or indirectly in the 150 stores,” mall developer Sushil Mohta said.

The stores range from the 30,000 sq ft anchor store E Zone, the electronic goods and accessories retail brand from Future Group (Pantaloon), to 60 sq ft standalone mini-stores showcasing home decor items. Spread across four levels, this is the largest mall-inmall E Zone in the country.

Of the six floors, five have been rented out. The sixth level will be allotted to stores retailing handicraft products and wrought iron as well as moulded furniture.

There will be a permanent space to exhibit and sell ethnic home decor products like terracotta and dokra. The mall also has a gallery wall to display paintings by budding artists.

Home Town Store to open in 2007 in New Town
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070417/asp/calcutta/story_7655429.asp

A realty boom has given Calcutta its biggest home solutions store.

Home Town, part of Home Solutions Retail (India) Ltd — a subsidiary of Kishore Biyani’s Future Group — will set up a 250,000-sq-ft store in Rajarhat.

“The store will offer all kinds of home solutions — be it plumbing, tiling and electrician services to appliances and accessories of interior decoration, including design ideas. We are opening such stores across the country, but the one in Calcutta will be the biggest,” Atul Takle, head (communication), Future Group, told Metro. According to the company’s plans, the store should be operational by December 2007.

Home Town in Calcutta has taken up the entire Block by Block mall being developed by Bengal Shrachi Housing Development Ltd on lease in New Town.

“Our store will showcase 150 formats for different styles of rooms to give the buyers a basket of design and style options for their homes,” added Takle.

The fact that one of the pioneers of Indian retail, the Future Group, has chosen Calcutta as the location for its largest store has made the realty industry happy.

Suncity

April 17th, 2007, 04:18 AM

Hotel chains in race to develop Royal Calcutta Turf Club property

ET epaper

picture

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6311/royalcalcuttaturfclubfo4.jpg

LEADING hotel chains such as the Tata group-owned Indian Hotels and ITC as well as developer-hotel chain consortiums like Ritz-Carlton-Nitesh Estates, DLF-Hilton and Emaar MGF-Accord are in the race to bag the development rights for Royal Calcutta Turf Club’s (RCTC) Russell Street property. RCTC plans to convert the Russell Street property, standing on a four-acre plot in the heart of Kolkata, into a five-star hotel. Sources close to deal said Purnendu Chatterjee’s TCG Real Estate and Harsh Neotia’s Bengal Ambuja are also in the race.

RCTC’s erstwhile main office at 11, Russell Street is somewhat secluded from public eye. It remains, nevertheless , as one of the remarkable architectural structures of the city.

Real estate consultants feel the Russell Street property, which is situated at the heart of Kolkata, could fetch Rs 250-300 crore, while total cost of the hotel project is estimated at Rs 800-1,000 crore. Real estate consultant CB Richard Ellis and global hotel consultancy firm HVS International are believed to have bagged the consultancy job for the project.

The club was founded in 1847. The earliest mention of office premises for the then Calcutta Turf Club is in 1888. The offices moved to the current location in February 1920.

IndiansUnite

April 17th, 2007, 04:20 AM

monyaam

April 18th, 2007, 02:09 AM

Changing landmark

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/04/18/stories/2007041801201100.htm

ASSUMING NEW SHAPE: The Grand Great Eastern Hotel, acquired by the Bharat Hotels Group, under reconstruction in Kolkata. The building — albeit in a different shape — has been a landmark of the city since as early as the 1820s when it was sketched in a truncated form by Lady Sarah Elizabeth Amherst, daughter of the Governor-General, Lord Amherst, from the northern steps of Government House (today's Raj Bhavan) across the road.

arijeetb

April 18th, 2007, 03:48 PM

arijeetb

April 18th, 2007, 05:15 PM

German wholesale giant feels first stop will be ready by Puja:)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070418/asp/calcutta/story_7658842.asp

cbeboy

April 18th, 2007, 10:00 PM

AAI gets nod for work on Kolkata airport upgrade (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/04/19/stories/2007041904911000.htm)

The Kolkata airport upgrade will get under way in the next few months, with the Prime Minister Council of Infrastructure on Wednesday giving the go ahead for Airports Authority of India (AAI) to take up the project.

Briefing newspersons after the meeting, the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, said the project, which would be completed in phases, would eventually cost Rs 4,000-5,000 crore.

"The entire project will be taken up by AAI from monies generated through internal resources. No subsidiary or special purpose vehicle will be set up for the project. During the first phase, which is to be completed in 2009-10, the annual handling capacity of the airport would increase from the current 5 million passengers to 20 million passengers. During this phase an investment of Rs 1,500 crore is envisaged including Rs 1,300 crore for development of a new terminal building," Mr Patel said.

btirthankar

April 19th, 2007, 09:53 AM

Corporate Tower by South City on 1.98 acres of Land behind Calcutta International School Designed by DSP Designs Mumbai.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7282/southcityinfrastructurerm1.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=southcityinfrastructurerm1.jpg)
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/3829/infrastructurtowersitepiy1.th.jpg (http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?image=infrastructurtowersitepiy1.jpg)
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9130/panel1vf7.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=panel1vf7.jpg)

btirthankar

April 19th, 2007, 09:55 AM

The land had been acquired from KMDA in 2005. Posession is still due. The site overlooks a waterbody. The site is near the IT Park by KMDA Sunrise City. The entire radius at Nonadanga-Anandapur is becoming a CBD with Corporates Shifting offices from the old CBD at Dalhousie

cbeboy

April 19th, 2007, 08:58 PM

New runway will reduce congestion, cut delays

Airlines are hopeful that the Kolkata airport modernisation project will kick off following the Government's approval of the proposal.

"It (the modernisation) has been long overdue. We are happy that finally work will commence at the Kolkata airport," Capt G.R. Gopinath, Managing Director, Air Deccan, told Business Line.

New runway

He welcomed the idea of a new runway. "A new runway will help a lot to reduce the congestion and ensure that flights are not delayed," he said.

There is a need for more airports in West Bengal, especially in the northern part of the State, he added.

"Smaller towns should have proper connectivity with the metros to ensure equitable economic growth. We would like to have more airports in West Bengal," he said.

"We really hope that the work will start soon. There are problems relating to congestion of airlines and currently what we need is another runway. We would prefer separate runways for arrival and departure of flights," said an official of a leading airlines which uses Kolkata airport.

More facilities

He said there was also a need increase the number of aerobridges, security checkpoints and restaurants and resting places to bring Kolkata airport at par with the international airports.

The Committee on Infrastructure, headed by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has allocated Rs 1,542 crore for upgradation of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport in the first phase. The Airport Authority of India has been given exclusive rights for the modernisation programme.

During the first phase, which is expected to be completed by 2009-10, the Kolkata airport will have new domestic and international terminals, extended secondary runway and the latest communication and navigation systems.

The work is expected to start in two-three months after getting the necessary clearance from the Public Investment Board.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/04/20/stories/2007042002911100.htm

Suncity

April 19th, 2007, 11:46 PM

cbeboy

April 20th, 2007, 08:47 PM

Air Deccan looks at Kolkata as major `biz hub' (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/04/21/stories/2007042100861100.htm)

Air Deccan plans to make Kolkata a "major business hub," according to Capt. G.R. Gopinath, Managing Director of the airline.

The airline, which launched the daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Dimapur (via Imphal), also plans to link Kolkata with non-metro cities as soon as airports are developed in these places.

"We have aggressive plans to go into non-metro cities. Currently, 80 per cent of our flights are in non-metro cities and we plan to link Kolkata with cities like Coochbehar, Bodh Gaya, Jamshedpur, Rourkela and Jorhat as soon as airports are ready in these places," Capt. Gopinath told a press conference.

The airline now operates over 70 flights a day to and from Kolkata to 19 destinations across the country.

On an average, Air Deccan carries over one lakh passengers a month from Kolkata against an estimated capacity of 1.25 lakh passengers a month.

The airline, which has five 48-seater ATR Turboprop aircraft and two 180-seater Airbus A-320 aircraft based at Kolkata, has recorded 85-90 per cent passenger load factor in the last six months.

According to Capt. Gopinath, this year the company will utilise its resources to improve internal infrastructure and training to its staff, pilots and engineers.

cbeboy

April 20th, 2007, 09:06 PM

Buddhadeb opens automated car park in Kolkata

Inaugurating the city's first underground computerised car parking facility (for accommodating 280 cars) at the 133-year-old New Market (formerly Sir Stuart Hogg Market) site, here on Friday, the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said the State Government was already working with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to convert the New Market area into a pucca Heritage Square-cum-pedestrian plaza.

Mr Bhattacharjee said the State Government has set up a heritage commission jointly with the KMC for restoring many of the heritage sites of the city. Two of the major city beautification projects being taken up are the beautification of the city's wide River Front, along the River Hooghly, and connecting it with the Central Business District at Dalhousie Square (now known as Binoy Badal Dinesh Bag) via the Shahid Minar.

The BBD Bag rejuvenation programme, the Chief Minister said, would also include a similar underground parking facility (at Lal Dighi). Consulting Engineering Services is already working on a detailed project report.

Underground shopping mall

Simplex Projects Ltd, the private partner in collaboration with KMC, has executed the Rs 34-crore BoT project, which will rest on a revenue-sharing model between the two parties. As per the arrangement, Simplex has been allowed to create an underground shopping plaza (at the minus one level) having 180 stalls. The premium amount from the settlement of these shops will go to Simplex, while KMC will get to keep the regular annual rent from the shops. KMC will also get 5 per cent of the parking fees collected annually.

Provisional NoC from the West Bengal Fire Department has already been obtained for the parking project, and a fire safety clearance certificate for the shopping mall is expected within the next fortnight. While the parking facility is expected to start operations straightaway, the mall is expected to be operational only after receipt of the certificate.

Mr Bhattacharjee said the KMC has spent a tidy sum to undertake some urgent repairs, besides refurbishment of the New Market. He said the neighbourhood roads will be upgraded and some aesthetic urban planning was being taken up for further restoration of the heritage area.

According to Mr Bikash Bhattacharya, City Mayor, the automated car-parking project with interesting engineering characteristics has triggered an urban renewal in the New Market neighbourhood, providing further scope to the urban planners to restore (and add value) to the area.

Civitas

April 21st, 2007, 04:50 AM

from epaper times of india

SEZ flies out of Bengal to Maha
Singapore IT Major Gets More Land, Invests $150 Million Each In Pune and Nagpur
Ajanta Chakraborty | TNN

Kolkata: They came all the way from Singapore — beckoned by chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee — to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) in Bengal. That was in 2004, when the CM went to Singapore and met Chong Siak Ching, the president of Ascendas.
Cut to 2007. On April 18, Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh inaugurated two SEZs (Ascendas International Tech Park) — one in Pune and and the other in Nagpur — with an investment of around 150 million dollars each.
The reason behind Maharashtra’s gain and Bengal’s loss? For nearly three years, Ascendas has been lobbying for 25 acres in Rajarhat. Harmender Singh, the company’s senior vice-president in India, has come to the city several times. Yet, Hidco (which allots land in Rajarhat) had offered only 20 acres, instead of the minimum 25 acres needed for an SEZ.
“We sincerely wanted to invest in Kolkata. But we were given only 20 acres, which could not qualify for an SEZ. Naturally, we could not go ahead with our Kolkata project,” said Jonathan Yep, CEO Ascendas India.
“It’s not as if the additional five acres were not available in Rajarhat. It’s surprising that Ascendas was turned away, especially after the chief minister had himself invited the investors from Singapore,” said an industry department official.
When Chong Siak Ching came calling at Writers’ Buildings at the chief minister’s invitation in 2004, the CM had reportedly assured her of the 25-acre plot. Hidco, of course, has an excuse for turning away the IT major. “Ascendas was given 20 acres and asked to pay for it. But it said it would disburse the money only after being allotted 25 acres,” said Pranab Dasgupta, officer on special duty to Hidco chairman.
“We told them we would decide on the extra five acres later.”
“Why would anybody pay the cost of land when Hidco could not tell them specifically whether they would be given the five acres later,” wondered an official of the industry department.
“The tax benefit for software companies has a sunset clause, which says that after March 2010, the fiscal incentives will not be available to the IT companies. But for SEZs, the tax honeymoon will continue. So, it was only natural for Ascendas to seek an SEZ status. And, Maharashtra has been only too happy to let them set up two SEZs,” he added.

Civitas

April 21st, 2007, 05:28 AM

Who said west bengal is going in right direction ????????

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/RIL_agri-retail_project_runs_into_trouble_in_WB/articleshowcnews/1930424.cms
RIL agri-retail project runs into trouble in WB
KOLKATA: Mukesh Ambani's Rs 2,000-crore agri -retail project in West Bengal has run into problems with veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu and a number of constituents of the state's ruling Left Front coming out against the venture.
"We are opposed to the way it (the Reliance project) is being done. It has created a lot of problems between us and it needs to be discussed by the party Central Committee and Politburo before a decision is taken," the 93-year-old Marxist leader said after the weekly meeting of the CPI-M.
A few hours after Basu's comments, three key constituents of the Left Front - Forward Bloc, RSP and CPI - too opposed the project after holding separate meetings, signalling that it would not be easy for the venture, which apparently has the blessings of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, to take off.
Basu, who still wields considerable clout in the Front, said the Reliance project would harm small traders. "We have not come to a definite conclusion on this. But we will not do anything which will hurt the interest of people."
He said the CPI-M was opposed to the entry of FDI and big business in agri-retail.
Forward Bloc general secretary Ashoke Ghosh said his party was strongly opposed to the entry of big capital into agri-retail and small trade. "We want the Left Front to take a decision opposing the entry of big houses into small trade and agri-retail," he told the media.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070421/asp/bengal/story_7676471.asp
Reliance downsizes retail plan
- Field-to-food plate project reduced to three tiers and only seven districts
Calcutta, April 20: Reliance Industries has whittled down plans for a 1,480-acre farm retail project spanning Bengal after the original proposal ran into resistance from allies of the ruling CPM and a section of the party.

The Mukesh Ambani-led company, which last June wanted the government as a “partner/catalyst” in the venture, has now trimmed its Rs 2,000-crore, eight-tier proposal that would have taken care of farm production from the field to the food-plate to a three-tier, seven-district scheme.

In its letter to the Forward Bloc-controlled state marketing board, the company didn’t specify the area it needs for the revised project and only sought licence to buy directly from farmers and sell through its chain of fresh-food retail stores.

But the board is in no mood yet to give the go-ahead.

“Despite the changes in the Reliance proposal, there is still the threat of corporate monopoly in agri-business at the expense of farmers and retailers,” Bloc state secretary Ashok Ghosh said.

In its earlier proposal — after a meeting between chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Ambani — Reliance said it needed 800 acres for 80 procurement hubs; 500 acres for five distribution centres in Calcutta, Siliguri, Asansol, Malda and Kharagpur, and 180 acres for 18 district headquarters with the two Midnapores clubbed together.

Now, it has proposed 15 collection centres in seven districts — four in North 24-Parganas, three in South 24-Parganas, two each in Burdwan, Hooghly and Nadia, and one each in Bankura and Murshidabad. The “locations”, the company said, will be owned by individuals, marketing cooperatives and municipalities.

The earlier eight-tier project envisaged collection centres at the bottom to “receive products from farmers”. At the top, retail outlets were to provide fresh food — from the farm-gate to the plate.

In between, farmers could benefit from infrastructure services like mechanical and biotechnological help, sale of agricultural inputs like seeds and fertilisers as well as credit and insurance management.

Packaging and processing houses and distribution centres were to provide cold storage, value-addition infrastructure and ensure “efficient flow” of goods to local, national and foreign markets. These are still on track, but have been clubbed under a new nomenclature — “national distribution-cum-processing centres”.

Haldia has been added to the list of five distribution outlets. The company said it is “in the process” of procuring land for these centres.

The earlier plan also envisaged “contact farming” or “demand-led production”. But the Bloc-run marketing board and other front allies like the RSP and the CPI frowned as it sounded suspiciously close to “contract farming”, which they consider an instrument of corporate monopoly in agriculture. This time, Reliance has said it wouldn’t engage farmers in “contract farming in any format whatsoever”.

Earlier, one of the company’s “strategic missions” was to extend the rural retail network “supporting more than 10,000 small village shops”. As the Left found it a ploy to grab the village retail market, Reliance has now dropped the plan.

Last time, the company did not specify the number of proposed Reliance Town Centres, a sprawling mix of malls, multiplexes, entertainment parks and retail stores. This time, it has decided to go slow on the centres as “acquisition of land” has become “increasingly difficult”.

A “few Reliance Fresh outlets” would, however, come up in and around Calcutta.

arijeetb

April 21st, 2007, 08:20 AM

Who said west bengal is going in right direction ????????

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/RIL_agri-retail_project_runs_into_trouble_in_WB/articleshowcnews/1930424.cms

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070421/asp/bengal/story_7676471.asp

Sad:ohno: the city has potential for around 50 Fresh outlets not to mention hypermarts

Suncity

April 21st, 2007, 02:43 PM

Sad:ohno: the city has potential for around 50 Fresh outlets not to mention hypermarts

Let Reliance Fresh become successful in the neighbouring states. That will put huge pressure on the dumb left front dinosaurs.

Suncity

April 21st, 2007, 06:08 PM

SEZ flies out of Bengal to Maha

I don't think it is that big of a deal. Ascendas is a real estate company and it may have just developed cold feet because New Town is going to have too many IT Parks. Ascendas would have to get clients first and with so many companies building IT Parks, it is just one too many.

The West Bengal government in order to encourage downtown kind of development should instead come up with Office Park concept and give tax rebates on office parks for all kinds of offices - not just IT. maybe then New Town can have some decent commercial skyscrapers.

The 20 acres vacated by Ascendas should be used for an Office Park. Or it could be given to an IT company (not just a real estate company).

Meanwhile TCS has announced constuction plans for a 40 acre campus in New Town

TCS firms up Kolkata campus plan
http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage.php?leftnm=8&subLeft=1&chklogin=N&autono=281747&tab=r

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is looking to set up a campus in Kolkata and the IT bellwether is looking at having an employee strength of 15,000 by 2010, across its facilities.

TCS chief executive officer (CEO), S Ramadorai, met chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and state IT minister, Debesh Das today, to brief them on the company's plans for Bengal.

Emerging from the meeting with the ministers, Ramadorai said that the 40-acre campus would be completed in 3-4 years' time.

At present, TCS has more than 7,000 employees across its facilities in Salt Lake Sector V, the IT hub in the city.

The campus would come up at New Town in Rajarhat, the new IT hub. TCS sources said, the company was yet to get possession of the plot and was in the midst of finalising the architects for the project.

The company was likely to get possession by mid-May. Sources said, the company had paid the entire amount for the plot. The investment by TCS in the proposed venture was not known.

State IT minister, Debesh Das said, the state government was giving the land for Rs 1.5 crore per acre.

IT secretary, Siddhartha said, land had been earmarked for the campus. Siddhartha however did not give investment figures and said the government was more concerned about employment generation.

With the campus, TCS would add significantly to IT and ITES sector jobs in Bengal, which the minister said was around 40,000.

The fresh TCS investment would add to a whole list of investments that the Tata group was making in the state.

Apart from the more prominent Tata Motors' small car project at Singur, Telcon was setting up a heavy equipment manufacturing facility, Hooghly Met Coke and Power Company was in the process of establishing a metallurgical coke project in Haldia.

Tata Metaliks was diversifying into steel making at Kharagpur, Tata Ryerson was looking to set up facility at Singur while the cancer hospital at Rajarhat was under construction.

Suncity

April 21st, 2007, 06:10 PM

A better rendering of Devaloke Fort which is under construction

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/350/devalokeheightsps6.jpg

And a proposed Merlin Project in Ultadanga (the website has no further details)

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9341/ultadangamerlinmu3.jpg

Suncity

April 21st, 2007, 06:18 PM

Two proposed projects

Bengal Shrachi

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6291/greenwoodelementsix8.jpg

Diamond Group
From a Hindi Newspaper

Speaks of a proposed new project in Tollygunge for which land deal is underway. If deal is finalized there will be 15 towers of 15 storeys with 1300 apartments.

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2096/diamondgroupdainikbiswahc5.gif

Civitas

April 21st, 2007, 06:52 PM

Let Reliance Fresh become successful in the neighbouring states. That will put huge pressure on the dumb left front dinosaurs.

By that time other progressive states will be lightyears ahead of west bengal. Then Buddhadeb or some other left front minister would say "we have made mistakes in past" :bash: .......bunch of ba***rds !!

How many mistakes will they do -

1. No english in primary school
2. No IT industry when Bangalore, Hyderabad took full benefit out of it
3. Militant CITU
4. Making 10 party offices in every locality and making all unemployed youth / government employees their cadre
5. No planned urbanization
6. Opposing disinvestment/privatization and promoting inefficiency/unproductivity everywhere

There is very small space to write down Left front created trouble (or mistakes !!) and Skyscrpercity is not the right place to discuss it too.

How many more in future ????

Suncity

April 21st, 2007, 08:05 PM

By that time other progressive states will be lightyears ahead of west bengal. Then Buddhadeb or some other left front minister would say "we have made mistakes in past" :bash: .......bunch of ba***rds !!

How many mistakes will they do -

1. No english in primary school
2. No IT industry when Bangalore, Hyderabad took full benefit out of it
3. Militant CITU
4. Making 10 party offices in every locality and making all unemployed youth / government employees their cadre
5. No planned urbanization
6. Opposing disinvestment/privatization and promoting inefficiency/unproductivity everywhere

There is very small space to write down Left front created trouble (or mistakes !!) and Skyscrpercity is not the right place to discuss it too.

How many more in future ????

The Left Front's stupidity in many of its policy matters is well known. And its stupidity - especially from dinosaurs like Basu and his coterie will continue. So will the lunatic behaviour of the completely useless parties like RSP, CPI, FB. Buddha did try his best but he is on the backfoot thanks to his loony comrades and even more worthless opposition figures like the Mad Madame Mamata and co.

As I have said earlier, the Reliance tamasha has nothing to do with economics. The Forward bloc doesn't want to lose control of the state agri-marketing department. It's a den of corruption and probably a cash cow for Forward Bloc. If competitors come in, then how are they going to get their pound of flesh? All the crocodile tears of the leftist leaders is indeed laughable as 7.5 million people go hungry in the state and the "leaders of the oppressed" eat hearty meals daily (often free or subsidized by illegal canteens in Writers buildings) and rats eat food grains in the godowns.

Maybe Reliance can cut a deal with these parties after "discussions". We all know how much the Forward Bloc (or CPIM politburo) really cares about the poor and the hungry. Slogans,red banners, processions and bandhs really aren't a measure of committment to the poor.

So not to worry too much. Despite the frequent pretensions of "high moral grounds" on the part of the Politburos, most politicians are the same cutting across party lines.

It will take some time probably for the FB and its friends to see "reason". Also if Mr Basu's son could make biscuits for multinational companies at one time, then I don't see why Mr Ambani cannot sell paddy in mandis.

:lol:

Suncity

April 23rd, 2007, 02:35 AM

Bus rides are cool this summer
TOI epaper

The state government has finally taken heart and will provide citizens with a cooler option this summer. Some air-conditioned buses would hit the city road shortly. “The fare would be little more, but it would not pinch your pocket,” promised the state transport minister Subhas Chakraborty.

West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation in a privatepublic partnership with Pirojiwal Transport, has successfully run AC buses from the airport to different parts of the city. With such a service becoming an instant hit, the state government is now considering of a similar model for other city routes.

“Finally, new AC buses are coming and they would ply north-south and east-west,” said West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation managing director, A Mondal. “The buses would be both 36 and 50 seaters. We are yet to finalise the routes, but are thinking of connecting the central business district (CBD) of the city with other parts,” Mondal added.

Cool buses would link places like Behala, Thakurpukur, Kasba, Jadavpur, Garia, Metiabruz, Howrah, Barasat, Dum Dum with Dalhousie.

“The fare would be a little higher. But we are trying to strike a balance so that the middle-class can afford it, said an officer of Pirojiwal Transport.

Koushik Logistics, another major player, is also coming to the city. “For city roads we need at least 120 horse power engines for effective cooling inside the buses. We have been running Volvo buses in inter-state routes. It is a great success. We are taking passengers from Kolkata to places like Vizag in 14 hours,” said Koushik Logistics executive director Gautam Banerjee.

“A well-managed AC bus service is welcome as they would discourage people to take out their cars. This will substantially decongest the city roads, most of which have exceeded the saturation level. Moreover, the government is thinking of making parking at CBD prohibitively expensive in its bid to decongest the area,” said chief traffic and transportation engineer B K Sadhu.

Significantly, air-conditioned Blue Arrow taxis, which could be seen only at airport lately, have swarmed back at the heart of the city “Now, the demand is high. We have realised that Blue Arrows can be popular even in non-summer days, if priced right,” said Dindayal Tiwari, a Blue-Arrow taxi driver.

Suncity

April 24th, 2007, 03:08 AM

Sankalpa, New Town
http://www.sankalpaproject.com/
16 towers - 11 to 24 storeys

Details still sketchy

Render

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/3628/sankalpaprojectwga9.png

Jai

April 24th, 2007, 08:45 AM

Pallonji to launch a Mass Housing Project in Kolkata (http://www.indianrealtynews.com/real-estate-developers/pallonji-to-launch-a-mass-housing-project-in-kolkata.html)
April 17th, 2007

India’s largest mass housing project, SP Shukhobrishti, is set for launch. To be developed by the real estate major, Shapoorji Pallonji, the project will comprise of two enclaves named as ‘Spandan’ and ‘Sparsh’.

The Rs 1500 crore project will comprise of 765 four storied apartments and 100 fourteen storied apartments. Of total 20,000 dwelling units to be spread over an area of 150 acres, 19.999 will be allotted to lower income and middle class income groups. The complex, SP Shukhobrishti, is scheduled to be built in phases and expected to be over by early 2011.

The Township will also have an array of facilities including two primary schools, health centre, shopping arcade, provision stores, community centres, children’s play area, amphitheatre, entertainment and two clubs.

The Township will be located in Action Area-III in the New Town of Kolkata.

Marketing activities will be put on course in the fourth week of April 2007, with sale of brochures to start from April 30, 2007.

The project will exemplify quality construction and facilities to residents in the same segment, says Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Limited. Indeed, ‘Shukhobrishti’ means ‘shower of happiness’ in Bengali.

The company has already started the sale process considering it to be the best time after the beginning of the Noboborsho’ to book the flats, says Subir Dev, vice president of SPCL Real Estate.

kolkata

April 25th, 2007, 12:52 AM

Coming up — more shop space and luxury lairs, premium premises and IT towers…
Another milestone was sunk in the city’s burgeoning real estate roadmap, with the consortium of South City Projects and Merlin Group clinching a 4.4-acre twin land parcel next to Ruby General Hospital and on the Kasba Connector in a CMDA bid.

South City-Merlin quoted the highest price (Rs 24.80 crore per acre) for the composite bid opened on Tuesday, edging out eight competitors shortlisted after technical scrutiny, from 18 valid applications.

“We will do a Rs 100-crore high-end residential project on the 2.4-acre plot next to Neelachal Cooperative Housing Complex on the Rashbehari Connector. On the two-acre split parcel next to Ruby, we have proposed a combination of commercial space and a speciality mall,” Sushil Mohta, Merlin MD and a director on the South City board, told Metro.

The condominium housing project will have 150-170 apartments with a built area of over 250,000 sq ft. The two separate plots adding up to two acres on the Bypass will house corporate offices and Homeland II, a sequel to the focused home-solutions mall on Chowringhee.

Source: The Telegraph(http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070425/asp/calcutta/story_7692481.asp)

btirthankar

April 25th, 2007, 06:55 AM

Thanks for the info and welcome to SSC India.

:cheers:

South City & Merlin has bagged from KMDA the Hi End Resi and Commercial with one mall at East Kolkata Township, Read more at:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070425/asp/calcutta/story_7692481.asp#

Suncity

April 25th, 2007, 08:50 PM

South City & Merlin has bagged from KMDA the Hi End Resi and Commercial with one mall at East Kolkata Township, Read more at:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070425/asp/calcutta/story_7692481.asp#

Is one of the two projects the same as the South City Tower (commercial) that you mentioned?

pding

April 25th, 2007, 11:13 PM

No english in primary school

is that true by any chance???

Civitas

April 26th, 2007, 12:15 AM

is that true by any chance???

Yes sir, no English until class VI. Then you will learn ABCD :)
I think you do not stay in India ...right ? :)

Civitas

April 26th, 2007, 12:17 AM

Some good news ---

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070426/asp/calcutta/story_7696825.asp

Reliance makes retail foray
- Company bags Park Circus market for Rs 30.33 crore
Reliance has taken the market route to roll out its retail business in Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s Bengal.

On Wednesday, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail bagged the contract for the makeover of the Park Circus market, owned by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC), for Rs 30.33 crore.

The deal with the civic body comes after the company’s ambitious agricultural retail plan in the state hit a political roadblock due to differences within the ruling Left.

Keen on a big-bang entry into the retail business, Reliance has already booked space in two upcoming projects — in Batanagar and Rajarhat. The company is also aggressively pitching for land in district towns.

The aggression was apparent in the bid value, as the second-highest bidder — city-based Fort Group — trailed by over Rs 9 crore (see box).

According to the contract with the civic body, Reliance will rebuild the rundown market on Karaya Road.

“We are going to use up much of the space ourselves,” said a senior Reliance Retail official, after the bidding results were made public.

In the 2.3-lakh-sq-ft market, Reliance will retain 1.5 lakh sq ft for its own use. The traders of the erstwhile Park Circus market will be relocated, free of cost, in the remaining area and the CMC will be offered some space for its office in the market complex.

Reliance will also have to arrange for temporary rehabilitation of the vendors before demolition the existing structure.

“They (Reliance) will have to carry out the reconstruction within two years,” said municipal commissioner Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

But before that the mayor’s council and the civic house will have to put their seal of approval on the deal.

With the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government determined to give the city markets a new look, the civic body has decided to involve private partners in the makeover exercise.

Park Circus market is the third civic market — after College Street and Lake Market — in the makeover line. The civic body has plans to follow the same model for the remaining of its 20-odd markets.

“Reliance is keen to take over the civic markets in the city… They have even given us a proposal to float one common tender for all the civic markets,” said a CMC source.

Though that would spare the CMC the hassle of multiple tenders for each market, the civic body is yet to take a final call on the issue.

The Mukesh Ambani-owned retail outfit, however, is not wasting any time. It is already working out plans to fast-track project execution.

For starters, Reliance Retail is poised to sign up city-based Bengal Shelter group — chosen by the CMC to reconstruct the College Street market — to help execute the Park Circus market project.

But Reliance and Bengal Shelter officials did not confirm any such tie-up between the companies.

“It seems a logical step… Bengal Shelter, being a local company, will be able to manage relocation of existing traders better than the others. Besides, they are already in the process of reconstructing College Street market, after relocating the vendors,” said a realty sector source.

Suncity

April 26th, 2007, 12:21 AM

Yes sir, no English until class VI. Then you will learn ABCD :)
I think you do not stay in India ...right ? :)

I believe they scrapped the old policy in 2003.

btirthankar

April 26th, 2007, 09:38 AM

Is one of the two projects the same as the South City Tower (commercial) that you mentioned?

South City Tower is a separate Hi-End Office Development in Nonadanga which South City had directly purchased 2.5 acres from KMDA at mere Rs. 10.32 Crore.

The Recent Bid from KMDA they have bagged has 3 land parcels, of which two
(Off + Retail) are in Nonadanga and One (Hi-End Resi) on Ruby Connector.

http://aycu28.webshots.com/image/16427/2004254241302877736_th.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004254241302877736)
http://aycu06.webshots.com/image/13565/2003600437062352478_th.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003600437062352478)
http://aycu33.webshots.com/image/14232/2005542632446911313_th.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005542632446911313)

The bidding strategy was based purely on connectivity and price linkages was made with New Town to some extent. BTW though this is a JV project, all KMDA got was a win-win situation. The Developments will be sustainable as the products are hi-end with the project IRR being int eh range of only 10-15% in the current scenario.

btirthankar

April 26th, 2007, 10:06 AM

South City gets project from WBSIDC for Industrial Park at Jagdishpur Mouza on NH6.

Developer: Emami, Anmol Group and South City
Public Partner: WBSIDC: West Bengal Small Scale Industrial Development Corp.
Stage:Agreement
Land area: 300 Acres
Light Engineering Industrial Park.
Plotted Development:
10% Plots for Enlisted SSI's at subsidised rates
Project Cost: 250 Crores
Near Kolkata West Int'l City

http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/16386/2005225504117344961_th.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005225504117344961)
http://aycu22.webshots.com/image/16021/2005251033713149886_th.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005251033713149886)
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/15838/2005255858280043118_th.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005255858280043118)

Though WBSIDC has agreed to partner, there are concerns over Land possession as acquisition has been non-contigious.

btirthankar

April 26th, 2007, 11:26 AM

By that time other progressive states will be lightyears ahead of west bengal. Then Buddhadeb or some other left front minister would say "we have made mistakes in past" :bash: .......bunch of ba***rds !!

How many mistakes will they do -

1. No english in primary school
2. No IT industry when Bangalore, Hyderabad took full benefit out of it
3. Militant CITU
4. Making 10 party offices in every locality and making all unemployed youth / government employees their cadre
5. No planned urbanization
6. Opposing disinvestment/privatization and promoting inefficiency/unproductivity everywhere

There is very small space to write down Left front created trouble (or mistakes !!) and Skyscrpercity is not the right place to discuss it too.

How many more in future ????

What is a glaring reality is that the whole state is infested with militant public all in the name of politics. Be it festival donations, car parking, land ownership or other issues. Firstly people are the most careless when crossing roads and any small or major accident happens due to someones stupidity, they burn down the whole thing. People here are having suicidal tendencies I must conclude just due to the fact that they are careless.

Kolkata is gaining pace in economic development but the 'mindset' of people here will never change (atleast in 100 years) Its not the Bengali but the people living here from all ethnicities that share the common laid-back narrow mentality. You approach a shop-keeper, he is careless of your presence and if you fail to select the product within a short time he makes you feel that you are a disturbing element. In Delhi, if you go to buy something and dont like what is offered, you get a money back guarantee (atleast verbally)

Again the traffic situation is idiotic.

Why does not the Government realise that the main cause of pollution are the antiquated diesel engined vehicles right from buses, Taxis, private taxis and the roaring thee wheeler LCVs ( I am not considering trucks here as they are officially off the roads for 12 hrs)

The main reason for traffic congestion are the old generation vehicles that are slow moving and difficult to maneuver. Like the abundant and omnipresent Ambassadors. These vehicles are unsafe, noisy, polluting, uncomfortable and dont have precision handling causing traffic impediments behind them. The irony is that they are just as expensive to maintain and run (all because they run through multiple lifecycles of endless reconditioning every 2-3 years)

A city is not about its buildings and structures. Unless Kolkata gets a road and transportation facelift , it will never be attractive.

arijeetb

April 28th, 2007, 09:47 PM

Aiming at a share of the booming mobile telephony market, the Kolkata-based Xinitis Group plans to set up West Bengal's first mobile manufacturing unit in collaboration with Singapore-based Longcheer Technology.

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/india/news/article_1297799.php/Xinitis_to_manufacture_mobile_handsets_in_Bengal

Civitas

April 30th, 2007, 01:56 AM

Did I mention somewhere that these dhoti-clad communists of WB are real ba***rds :bash: Here is one more proof

http://news.moneycontrol.com/mccode/news/article/news_article.php?autono=278796

WB govt unwilling to grant license to German firm

After Reliance, it might be Germany's Metro that could be up against the Left. The West Bengal government is unwilling to grant a license to Metro for its start-up in Kolkata, reports CNBC-TV18.

Metro has already spent some Rs 46 crore on a site in Kolkata but the dispute over ownership of the plot - which was allotted to it by the Bengal government - forced it to suspend work at its maiden outlet in the city.

Top brass of the German wholesaler had earlier said, Metro would set up four outlets in Kolkata at an investment of Rs 300 crore. Its first outlet was supposed to be operational by June, but now it seems that it is not going to happen in the foreseeable future. After legal wrangles, the wholesaler faces resistance from a section of the Bengal government, which opposes large format retail in agricultural products.

Naren Chatterjee, Chairman, WB State Marketing Board Forward Bloc Leader, said, “The entry of any big or multinational investor in large format retail of agricultural products will destroy the livelihood of as many as one crore people in Bengal. No democratically elected government can approve this."

Metro says it had received assurances from the Writers' Buildings that it would be given license under the Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act to trade in farm products. Yet, even before it has applied for the license, resistance within the government has started manifesting itself, precipitated perhaps by Reliance's ambitious plans of setting up an agri-retail business in Bengal.

btirthankar

April 30th, 2007, 11:18 AM

btirthankar

April 30th, 2007, 04:52 PM

http://www.jjestates.com/jj/jjnagar/jjnagar.html

J. J. Group in the name of J. J. Rashtriya Infrastructure Development Ltd., a joint sector company with W.B.T.I.D.C., government of West Bengal as coming up with a wonderful world on 500 acres in the southern vicinity of Kolkata, an integrated Township cocooned from the bustle of the city with verdant landscaping to soothe every mindset.

The proposed Township project, the ultimate abode of peace and tranquility is situated on the eastern side of Diamond Harbour Road, at Bishnupur with an entry point located at about 6 Km south of Indian Institute of Management in the district of south 24 parganas, W.B. and 22 Km from Raj Bhaban (heart of the city ) by Road.

The project can be accessed by road from Kolkata through Diamond Harbour Road which was a part of state highway – 1. The entire road from Kolkata to Bakkhali has been taken up by National HighwayAuthority of India and the name of the road has been renamed as National Highway – 117. The road will be upgraded by NHAI to the standard of National Highway and it will be maintained by NHAI.

1. Bus Terminus developed by Dept. of transport, Government of West Bengal.
2. Petrol pump with ancillary facilities.
3. Hospital with dedicated ward as trauma care center.
4. School with hostels.
5. Sports complex with a club where you can come and play amidst sylvan settings and
6. Exquisitely designed Row Housing.
7. Cottage / Bunglows, a dream made in the midst of nature.
8. Group Housing (LIC / MIG/ HIG).
9. Multistoried Towers, the architecture entice you into a world of beauty and astonishment.
10. Shopping Malls & Multiplex, where business and pleasure rub shoulders.
11. Community Markets.
12. Greeneries, water bodies & facilities for water sport.

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2863/jjnagaryi4.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jjnagaryi4.jpg)

btirthankar

May 1st, 2007, 08:44 AM

Recently revealed from sources:

LOCATION : OPP SE RLY NEAR DUMAYUNE AVENUE. HASTINGS, KOLKATA
DEVELOPER : SPS STEEL
LAND AREA : 4.5 ACRES APPX.
PRICE PER ACRE :N.A.
EXPECTED PRICE PER SFT Rs. 5000
UNITS : N.A.
HEIGHT : G+28
F.A.R. :2.75

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/737/hooglymillrivervalleyprly0.th.jpg (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hooglymillrivervalleyprly0.jpg)

http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=22543070&x=88312218&z=18&l=0&m=h&v=2

Suncity

May 3rd, 2007, 03:17 PM

Suncity

May 3rd, 2007, 03:37 PM

This is what you see all around in New Town - construction and contracting companies must be raking in a lot of moolah

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/5995/rajarhatconst1ii3.jpg

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7637/rajarhat2rn7.jpg

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9332/rajarhatconst2yx4.jpg

Suncity

May 3rd, 2007, 03:42 PM

Residential complexes coming up

1
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2711/rajarhat3townjs6.jpg

2
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5296/rajarhat4towncq9.jpg

Wanted to check out the Unitech site but the quality of the road and the heavy truck traffic was not encouraging at all. So gave it a miss.

fred_the_cute_guy

May 3rd, 2007, 06:36 PM

Self-deleted!

fred_the_cute_guy

May 3rd, 2007, 06:37 PM

btirthankar

May 3rd, 2007, 07:24 PM

I drove through Rajarhat today. The Rajarhat Expressway is in complete shambles. It is a road to be avoided. Did notice that they are relaying part of the road. There is just construction vehicles and equipment everywhere. Wonder how New Town will look five years from now.

I didn't find the 40 storey InterContinental Hotel project (by Shristi and Hudco) site today. So maybe it is off? Or did I miss it?

Btirthankar > any clues?

The project stays where it is. Maybe the hoarding was not visible due to some reasons. There are no reports of shelving of any project at New town except Keppel Land.

The Rajarhat Road is set to get completed not before the year end. By conservative estimates. It was the callousness of HIDCO and the carelessness of the contractors that caused it.

Rajarhat is all set to become a township of the HIG. Broadly Rajarhat is overpriced and thats because of the latent demand in the emerging market like Kolkata where a lifestyle shift and rising income levels have given birth to 'investors'.

Though HIDCO and WB Housing Board has taken lot of efforts to provide MIG and LIG housing. If all that LIG and MIG is lapped up now by investors at affordable prices, only to be sold at in the future (when township gets fairly populated) at HIG prices, the authorities don't have a hand.

Ideally pre-launch sales happen in this market which is generally evident in emerging Markets. Maybe if the pre-launch sales were prevented by these authorities, the units would have reached the intended segment (MIG & LIG) and at the right time. (3-5 years from now)

Rajarhat will get its intended populated not before 8 to 10 years from now. Till then the township will be at a 'discount', as compared to existing micro-markets like Salt Lake and South Kolkata.

We are talking about two industry cycles within this period. A lot has to be seen. Even Real Estate Experts from other cities cannot foretell the precise scenario. Each micro-market behaves uniquely.

arijeetb

May 4th, 2007, 12:46 PM

Wanted to check out the Unitech site but the quality of the road and the heavy truck traffic was not encouraging at all. So gave it a miss.

^^ It is the same problem everywhere. The tipper/cement mixer trucks spill as they move from one destination to another:bash: . Even if they lay the entire strtech by the end of the year a lot of education also needs to go in to maintain the road

sidney_jec

May 7th, 2007, 10:59 AM

As per the news in TOI website the SVB would be thrown open to the public on May 31 after missing the april deadline..here;s the complete story

Vivekananda bridge to open on May 31
KOLKATA: The much-awaited Second Vivekananda Bridge, which missed its April deadline, will probably be thrown open on May 31 in spite of the fact that work on the bridge will remain incomplete.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will formally inaugurate it in June.

Second Vivekananda Bridge Tollway Company (SVBTC) chairman S S Chakraborty, who is also the managing director of Consulting Engineering Services (CES), said the construction of the bridge is now complete.

"We are expecting to throw open the bridge for vehicular movement on May 31," he said. Work of the six-kilometre bridge had started in April 2004.

However, SVBTC officials are apprehensive that if proper measures are not taken, the space below the bridge will be encroached upon by truckers, squatters and hawkers, disrupting traffic movement.

SVBTC officials have met chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb and PWD minister Kshiti Goswami at Writers’ Buildings last Friday to discuss the matter. "Some land is lying vacant below the bridge at both ends and the area would be encroached upon if adequate measures are not taken immediately. This will result in complete pandemonium at the two entry points to the bridge. We need to monitor the place and control traffic movement to prevent this problem," Chakraborty said.

Their fears have been heightened by the fact that people evicted from BT Road are already making their way back.

They also discussed if the bridge would be effective enough to decongest traffic till all the work is completed.

According to sources, even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wants to see the bridge fully operational once vehicular movement starts. "Unless the Dunlop interchange project is completed fast and proper traffic management are made, the bridge cannot become fully functional. It will only deteriorate traffic congestion on BT Road," Chakraborty said. A flyover with ramps linking the bridge will have to be built.

SVBTC has signed a 30-year concession agreement with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to design, build, operate and maintain the bridge on NH-2. The project was conceived to provide all-round connectivity in the Kolkata metropolitan area, connecting NH-2, NH-6 and Durgapur expressway in the West and NH-34, NH-35 and Belghoria expressway in the East. It will also connect Kolkata airport and Rajarhat Newtown.

The multi-ramp system will ensure efficient traffic distribution on the eastern side. In a first for India, the bridge has been constructed by a single-plan cable line. The bridge has been designed to cater to regional transports like long-distance buses and trucks.

kolkata

May 8th, 2007, 03:04 AM

A UK com- pany is taking the lead role in two housing projects near Calcutta, setting the stage for fresh foreign direct investment in Bengal real estate after the Salim Group’s initiative.REIT Asset Management, a London-based company that manages real estate assets valued at over $6.8 billion globally, will partner a local developer to build nearly 5,000 flats on the northern and southern fringes of the city.The project in Bonhooghly, opposite the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), will involve redevelopment of a refugee colony. Around 800 families living there now will be given a flat each, free of cost.The southern project at Maheshtala will be a fully commercial venture but the developers have promised to build a sports-cum-cultural centre for the municipality.The cumulative project cost is an estimated Rs 465 crore. The two projects will be developed over two to four years.David Cohen, the chairman of REIT Property Management India, told The Telegraph the projects are the beginning of what he believes will be “a long-standing relationship with the state and the city”.

“We are attracted by the opportunities in the state and look forward to be involved in more,” Cohen, who is now in France, said.The company had set up office in India two years ago, but has invested only in one project in Pune so far. “We are choosy. We looked at some 140 offers and selected three — two being in Calcutta,” Cohen said.

REIT will hold a majority stake in both projects with local partner Eden Realty Ventures, promoted by NRI businessman Indrajit De. “We are delighted to work with a global investor like REIT in Bengal,” De said from New York.Both projects will have active participation from government departments. The Bonhooghly project will be a public-private partnership with the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department of Bengal, while the Maheshtala Municipality will partner the other project.In Bonhooghly, structures built in the ’50s to accommodate refugees will be pulled down. The displaced families will be given the flats in two years. Till then, each family will be given Rs 1,000 a month for temporary accommodation.

Of the 18 acres in Bonhooghly, 6 acres are earmarked for rehabilitation. The rest of the land will have 25 buildings, including 16 G+15 towers. Prices are expected to be in the range of Rs 10-22 lakh.The Maheshtala project will have 44 buildings, including 30 G+15 towers, mostly for the middle-income group.

Source: The Telegraph

btirthankar

May 9th, 2007, 09:32 AM

The Science City Plot leased by KMC to PC Chandra had been eyed by Rahul Saraf - Developer for another Forum Mall. However recently KMC has been plans to put it on competitive bid with a reserve price of Rs.100 crore an acre. I guess it will be for the 5 Acre plot out of 30 acre as described.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/215/bypass10oljr3.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bypass10oljr3.jpg)

read past article:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/161386.cms

KOLKATA: There was a time when Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) did not know what to do with its huge land assets . Or that land along the deserted stretch, which is now Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, would be worth crores one day.

Now, it is having to 'buy back' small tracts of the gifted land by giving commercial concessions to the lease holders. For instance, a top jewellery group, which got 30 acres land for free for beautification , has now been allowed to carry out commercial activities on 25 acres provided it hands back to KMC 5 acres to be put on auction.

In the nineties, the civic body generously gave out land — for free or at dirt cheap rates — to private companies and media houses. Even then, not many were interested. So, KMC was not worried too much when large tracts of its land were encroached or lay barren. No one had anticipated the realty boom of the next decade.

The EM Bypass changed it all. It turned villages into throbbing urban hotspots. Waste turned into wealth.

Suddenly KMC became aware of the treasure it was sitting on. The first attempt was putting a 5-acre land on auction. A hotel group lapped it up for Rs 20 crore. The civic bosses were elated. It gave them an idea of how big a slice they could carve out of the realty pie.

Next on the agenda was selling a 4.5-acre land for a residential complex-cumshopping mall. Then came the quantum jump, the auction of a 5-acre plot for Rs 156 crore — a record. The civic body's revenue graph has soared ever since.
All charged up by the jingling of cash registers, KMC now plans to take back some of the land it had given away for free, starting with the sprawling 30-acre plot on EM Bypass it had gifted to the PC Chandra Group. It has already asked the jewellery group to give back 5 acres (opposite Science City). The civic bosses hope this will fetch them Rs 100 crore in an auction — funds KMC desperately needs for infrastructure projects.

The firm that buys the land has to use it for a five-star hotel or a shopping mall, mayor Bikash Bhattacharya said. Fifty per cent of the revenue will be spent on setting up Kolkata Art Gallery at Rajarhat, and the rest for revamping the city's drainage network. The PC Chandra Group, on the other hand, will get rights to start "commercial activities" on the remaining 25 acres. It's, in fact, a win-win deal for the firm. It has practically got 25 acres of prime land for free.

KMC doesn't let this small fact bother it. It is on a land sale spree to meet its target of Rs 500 crore for this year. Most of this land is alongside the Bypass. One such is the vacant land between ITC Sonar Bangla and Silver Spring project. Authorities are on the lookout for more land they can put to commercial use.

This was unthinkable in the nineties. Forget auction of land, the civic authorities could not even foresee the changing landscape. They gave away the land for Science City for Re 1. The sprawling Swabhumi campus went for the same princely price — only that the developer was asked to share a part of the ticket proceeds. The civic top brass had 'social causes' in mind when they leased out huge amount of land.

But then, civic officials argue that without these landmark developments, investors wouldn't have come along the Bypass. And the realty boom wouldn't have happened on Kolkata's eastern fringes.

"We want to monetise land. We have no other option but to auction land in order to set right some essential civic services , such as water supply and seweragedrainage , both of which urgently need an overhaul," municipal commissioner Alapan Bandopadhyay said.

KMC LAND DEAL

Science City developer pays Re 1 for 40 acres

BIG BUCKS

Rs 156 cr (all time record) for a 5.54 acre land sold to DLF group

Rs 20 cr for a 5-acre plot sold to ITC Sonar Bangla hotel

Rs 19 cr for 4.5 acre sold to Silver Spring (residential complex-cumshopping mall)

TARGET

Selling off 20 acres for Rs 500 crore

btirthankar

May 9th, 2007, 04:01 PM

Gateways by Unitech is the part of the Kolkata Logistics Hub project floated by KMDA. Out of 108 acres, 73 acres are to the North and 35 acres to the South of NH 117 (Kona Expressway). The two plots are separated by a distance of 1/2 Km.

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/3773/klhsitebannerzv7.th.jpg (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=klhsitebannerzv7.jpg)http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/4935/klhbe5.th.jpg (http://img390.imageshack.us/my.php?image=klhbe5.jpg)

sudipta_rch

May 10th, 2007, 08:24 AM

Mani Square on EM Bypass to open this summer with 4 anchors ! -

Spencer's Hypermarket
Westside
IMAX
Mc Donald's

The Telegraph article -
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070510/asp/calcutta/story_7749676.asp

sidney_jec

May 10th, 2007, 09:13 AM

btirthankar

May 11th, 2007, 07:22 AM

A 5.93 Acre Land at North Kolkata went at Rs. 12.3 Crore/ acre.
The KMDA Land has existing Employees Quarters dwellers of which will be provided units in the new development. The real cash will come from the Retail Development envisaged.

Fort Group, Sharyans acquire KMDA land

Anuradha Himatsingka TOI, KOLKATA

THE Fort Group consortium has just bagged the prized six acre property in Ultadanga, adjacent to DVC’s corporate office on the city’s EM Bypass. The property, owned by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), has been purchased by the city-based realtor and its Mumbai-based partner, Sharyans Resources, for Rs 75 crore.
Realty sources in the know said the 5.93 acre prime property was sold for Rs 12.60 crore per acre. “The financial bids for the leasehold property were opened by KMDA on Thursday. There were some very aggressive bids from a number of key city real estate developers as well,” sources said.
Confirming the deal, Fort Group chairman Vivek Kathotia said: “We were keen to take up this property, primarily because the area is yet to have a planned commercial development. A portion of the property will be developed into a mall which will also have a multiplex,” Mr Kathotia said.
The Fort Group is currently busy developing some two million sq ft on Jessore Road. Spread over 14.45 acre, the proposed project will have an IT park, a three-star hotel and a shopping mall.
Incidentally, some of the city’s other developers had also bid for the property entailing a total construction area of some 4,64,960 sq ft. Of the total construction area, the consortium will build some 160 flats covering about 6,400 sq ft of area for KMDA. Balance four lakh sq ft will have a residential-cum-commercial complex.
Apart from the Fort Group, the Swarups of Paharpur Cooling Towers is believed to have put in a bid of Rs 57.01 crore. While the South City consortium, who was also in the fray for the proposed property, offered a price of Rs 55 crore, Bangalorebased Salarpuria group put in a bid of Rs 35.51 crore.
Two other groups, namely, the BMW group and M u m b a i - b a s e d builders Unity Infra, are also believed to have put in bids for the property.
Real estate consultant Jitendra Khaitan of Pioneer Property Management said the deal indicates that the city is fast turning into a real estate developers’ paradise, with many of the best-known ones vying with each other for a slice of the cake.
Most of them, he said, were actively participating in bids to acquire many of Kolkata’s prime properties which are up for sale. Some also have plans to build new real estate projects in the city.

sidney_jec

May 11th, 2007, 09:02 AM

Source:Times Of India E Paper

Water supply revamp, new flyover for Sec V

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) is all set to develop infrastructure in Sector V from the end of May.
KMDA will sign an agreement with Jamshedpur Utilities Services and Company Limited (Jusco), a Tata concern, to manage the township’s water supply. Jusco recently made a powerpoint presentation of its plans to KMDA and Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NITA).
Tenders will be floated by the end of May for a 1,300-metre flyover over Salt Lake bypass, connecting Nalban with the Wipro office in Sector V. “The alignment planning and cost estimate for the flyover have been prepared and will be submitted to the chief minister’s secretariat for approval,” said P R Baviskar, KMDA chief executive officer.
The flyover is being planned to redirect traffic bound for Rajarhat and the airport from the Salt Lake Bypass to reduce load on that busy road. The authorities will also float tenders for the state-of-the-art IT logistics hub near Technopolis complex in Sector V. It is aimed at providing world class facilities for IT professionals, particularly those from abroad.
“The logistics hub will have a convention centre of international standards, software shops, exhibition halls, multi-cuisine restaurants and a recreation area. We are preparing tenders for the projects,” said Baviskar. The authorities are hoping to issue work order notices for both the projects by June.
The authorities have also identified a plot for a bus terminus in the area. Tenders for the project will also be floated to invite a private party. For beautifying the IT hub, the Enkon-Selvel Consortium has redesigned plans of passenger shelters, parks and the like. Work on these will begin soon.
Besides, the urban development department is preparing a plan to set up a storm water drainage system to flush out excess drain water. At present, KMDA is working on sprucing up the township’s drainage and sewerage system. The authorities are also working on an initiative to bring a dedicated water pipeline from Central Park in Salt Lake to Sector V for which KMDA will construct a 3-MGD water reservoir.

chitown's finest

May 11th, 2007, 04:22 PM

i dont get why they build everything with the worst quality in kolkata

boleboom

May 11th, 2007, 06:12 PM

Shody construction is due to corruption & cutting corners plus the humid & hot weather does not help much either.

kolkata

May 11th, 2007, 08:06 PM

[QUOTE=btirthankar;13078772]Gateways by Unitech is the part of the Kolkata Logistics Hub project floated by KMDA. Out of 108 acres, 73 acres are to the North and 35 acres to the South of NH 117 (Kona Expressway). The two plots are separated by a distance of 1/2 Km.

Some render for the project from one of the website - axiom

Located on the Kona Expressway a 5 minutes drive from the second Hoogly bridge tollbooth the Gateway is spread across 34 acres of prime real estate. Just a 20 minutes drive from the center of Kolkata, the project has been laid out in 4 residential clusters with separate land area earmarked for retail space and hotel facilities. Cluster 1 comprises of six, G+17 storied residential towers and offers 2 and 3 BHK premium apartments.

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9013/cascade2jm2.th.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cascade2jm2.jpg)

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2336/cascade3vs4.th.jpg (http://img513.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cascade3vs4.jpg)

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/2874/cascade1hf0.th.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cascade1hf0.jpg)

Suncity

May 12th, 2007, 05:55 AM

Yaay!!! Now I am all set to enjoy a new thread in Showcase forum: "Suncity's Kolkata Trip - Part-II"!!!

Okay here it is

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=470551

:)

Suncity

May 12th, 2007, 06:16 AM

photos cc rights suncity

Mega showrooms in twin malls
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Kolkata/Mega_showrooms_in_twin_malls/articleshow/2036246.cms

Just over a century after Singapore-based Whiteway Laidlow & Co set up the country's largest departmental store in the city, Kolkata will regain its pride of place with two mega destination malls housing some of the largest anchor stores in either end of the city.

Anchored by some of the biggest brands, South City Mall — on Prince Anwar Shah Road — and Mani Square — on Eastern Metropolitan Bypass — are both vying for a July inauguration.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3578/newpicture032pa9.jpg

The South City Mall will host the largest Shoppers Stop outlet in the city (spread over 82,500 sq ft), the largest Pantaloons outlet (spread of 71,00 sq ft), the largest Spencer's hypermarket (72,000 sq ft) and the largest multiplex in the east with the 60,000 sq ft, six-screen Fame. The mall is expected to open in July end.

"The 1 million sq ft mall will be the largest shopping and entertainment destination in the region. Each flagship store holds the unique distinction as a category leader in sync with the theme of creating the biggest mixed use development in Eastern India," South City Projects director Sushil Mohta.

The mall will also include some of the biggest names for the vanilla section with My Dollar Store, Llardo, Rocia, Cookie Man, Straps, Giovani women, Kittens, Lucera and Damas.

"What sets the mall apart is the huge service area and car park that make up 40% of the area. The parking lots, spread over five levels, can accommodate 1,400 cars. Customers can, in fact, park their car at the very level they wish to shop in and move directly into the shopping area," South City Projects president (marketing) Anil Khetawat said.

"The stores have been organised to offer a hassle-free shopping experience. Stores retailing similar category products have been housed on a single level. Thus, outlets retailing jewellery, eyewear, watches and perfumes will be at one level. Men's apparel will be housed in one floor and women's in another," he said.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3362/manisquarero0.jpg

At the other end of the town, another mall is bracing up to open shop around the same time. And it too has four anchors to pull the crowds. Mani Square on Eastern Metropolitan Bypass will host the city's first Imax theatre, McDonald's drive-through format, another Spencer's hypermart and the third Westside outlet.

The mixed use project also has a multi-level car park for 1,200 vehicles. Apart from Imax, the mall will house a three-screen multiplex by Adlabs. But it is the eight storeys high IMAX screen that will be the big draw.

kolkata

May 12th, 2007, 10:46 PM

kolkata

May 12th, 2007, 11:01 PM

Gateways by Unitech is the part of the Kolkata Logistics Hub project floated by KMDA. Out of 108 acres, 73 acres are to the North and 35 acres to the South of NH 117 (Kona Expressway). The two plots are separated by a distance of 1/2 Km....

Plan for The Gateway - Unitech. The project has been laid out in 4 residential clusters with separate land area earmarked for retail space and hotel facilities. According to the site only cluster 1 is pre launched.. and this include six, G+17 storied residential towers, the plan suggest that all the rest the clusters are of the similar type, and can effectively make it to 24, G+17 +/- storied residential tower..:cheers:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/8581/planpu9.jpg

Jai

May 14th, 2007, 07:26 AM

I found more information on Shristi Infrastructure/InterContinental Hotels's hotel project, designed by Cervera & Pioz architects and CP Kukreja architects

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/5853/28193427xm7.jpg

1. According to Projects Monitor (http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=10675):

• The principal architect is Delhi-based C.P. Kukreja Associates. The team of international architects includes Cervera & Pioz (http://www.cerveraandpioz.com), Spain; King Roselli Architetti (http://www.kingroselli.com), Italy, and Ruben Anderegg, Switzerland.
• The hotel would be branded under the name "Vedic Hotels"

According to Business Standard (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/22/stories/2006022202431900.htm):

• Building cost is Rs 400 crore
• It will be a hotel complex replete with shopping arcades modeled on the Universal Studios CityWalk (http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/), featuring an eclectic mix of live entertainment, fun and fine dining establishments, specialty shops and state-of-the-art cinemas.
• The built-up area will be 9 lakh square feet on an eight-acre land.
• The project will provide direct and indirect employment of 5000 people.
• The project will be launched in September 2008 -- note it was previously reported that construction will be finished by 2008. I think 2008 starting date is far more realistic. The foundation/stone-laying ceremony has already taken place, however.

According to this Spanish Architecture Blog (http://enlacebcn.blogspot.com/2007/01/cervera-pioz-construyen-dos.html), quoting Dec 2006's "Construction Magazine":

• The towers will be 150m in height
• One of them will be the hotel, the other will be residential
• The tower is to be a state-of-the-biostrcuture

According to this report by SKS Securities[PDF] (http://sksspl.com/pdf/company_reports/Peerless%20Abasan%20Finance.pdf):

• The hotel would have 225 rooms of 45 square metres each, along with 100 service apartments
• The eight acre hotel complex with a built up area of 9 lakh square feet would house a shopping centre, a Universal Studio style city walk and an entertainment zone.

Hindustani

May 14th, 2007, 01:17 PM

Jai...................nice research. thanks.

I found more information on Shristi Infrastructure/InterContinental Hotels's hotel project, designed by Cervera & Pioz architects and CP Kukreja architects

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/5853/28193427xm7.jpg

1. According to Projects Monitor (http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=10675):

• The principal architect is Delhi-based C.P. Kukreja Associates. The team of international architects includes Cervera & Pioz (http://www.cerveraandpioz.com), Spain; King Roselli Architetti (http://www.kingroselli.com), Italy, and Ruben Anderegg, Switzerland.
• The hotel would be branded under the name "Vedic Hotels"

According to Business Standard (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/22/stories/2006022202431900.htm):

• Building cost is Rs 400 crore
• It will be a hotel complex replete with shopping arcades modeled on the Universal Studios CityWalk (http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/), featuring an eclectic mix of live entertainment, fun and fine dining establishments, specialty shops and state-of-the-art cinemas.
• The built-up area will be 9 lakh square feet on an eight-acre land.
• The project will provide direct and indirect employment of 5000 people.
• The project will be launched in September 2008 -- note it was previously reported that construction will be finished by 2008. I think 2008 starting date is far more realistic. The foundation/stone-laying ceremony has already taken place, however.

According to this Spanish Architecture Blog (http://enlacebcn.blogspot.com/2007/01/cervera-pioz-construyen-dos.html), quoting Dec 2006's "Construction Magazine":

• The towers will be 150m in height
• One of them will be the hotel, the other will be residential
• The tower is to be a state-of-the-biostrcuture

According to this report by SKS Securities[PDF] (http://sksspl.com/pdf/company_reports/Peerless%20Abasan%20Finance.pdf):

• The hotel would have 225 rooms of 45 square metres each, along with 100 service apartments
• The eight acre hotel complex with a built up area of 9 lakh square feet would house a shopping centre, a Universal Studio style city walk and an entertainment zone.

arijeetb

May 14th, 2007, 03:59 PM

btirthankar

May 18th, 2007, 03:25 PM

sidney_jec

May 21st, 2007, 08:39 AM

Source: Times of India website
Blueprint for BBD Bag facelift
21 May, 2007 l 0310 hrs ISTlTIMES NEWS NETWORK
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KOLKATA: The state’s project to rejuvenate the BBD Bag heritage zone is all set to take off. The Delhi-based Consulting Engineering Services (CES), which was engaged by the government to prepare a comprehensive plan to rejuvenate BBD Bag, will make a presentation of their final plan before chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on June 1.

Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb said on Sunday: "CES would make the presentation to the chief minister on the overall plan on June 1. We will then initiate the project and float tenders."

CES has been working on the master plan for some time. "BBD Bag is a notified heritage zone consisting of several heritage structures like the Writers’ Buildings, the General Post Office and the St Andrews’ church.

There is a huge volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area everyday as it is the nerve centre of the city.

The entire area would be rejuvenated but the traditional architecture and heritage structures would be maintained," said an official.

According to plans, the transport system would be modernised. There would be a grade separation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic on two levels. Surface-level roads — extending up to the river — would be dedicated to pedestrians.

Execution of the riverfront development project up to the south of Howrah bridge, will give the entire stretch a new look. Vehicular traffic will be directed underground by an arrangement of subways and underpasses. Space below the ground level will provide for vehicular traffic movement and for parking buses and cars.

The plan also includes rejuvenating the Esplanade area adjacent to BBD Bag. At Esplanade, a grade separation at an elevated level has been planned. The surface level shops and stalls in both BBD Bag and Esplanade areas could be accommodated in well developed plazas at a lower level.

sidney_jec

May 22nd, 2007, 07:26 AM

At least some good news for our good'ol calcutta
June date for biotech hub
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Siliguri, May 21: Videocon Realty and Infrastructure Ltd will start work on its proposed biotechnology park from June-end.

The electronics major has already entered into a tie-up with a French company to develop two SEZs here, one being the 24-hectare biotech hub.

The other project — an electronics and IT hub — will come up on a 12-hectare plot.

The two projects are likely to generate around 1,000 jobs in the region. “The biotech unit will comprise a state-of-the-art laboratory and a processing and preservation centre,” Gautam Sengupta, the vice-president of Videocon, told The Telegraph over phone from Calcutta.

“We will also try to procure essential ingredients (like herbs) from north Bengal districts that are rich in natural resources. Around 1,000 people are expected to get jobs.”

The projects, sources said, which were recently sanctioned by the Centre, were placed before the Union commerce and industries department on October 6, 2006.

“This will be the second venture of Videocon in north Bengal (the first one was the taking over of Kanchan, a state government-owned food processing unit which now produces electronic goods). The chief minister will lay the foundation stone of the project in June,” said state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya at a meeting today with the people of Kawakhali, 5km from here.

Both the SEZs would come up on the unused 100-acre plot of the state housing board at Dabgram on the outskirts of Siliguri. “No fresh land acquisition is necessary for this,” the minister claimed.

Bhattacharya also said the chief minister would on the same day lay the foundation stone of the proposed foodpark at Leusipokhri in Phansidewa and open the flyover at Mahabirstan in Siliguri.

About Kawakhali, where the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority in association with Bengal Unitech Universal is setting up a township, the minister said: “Payment of compensation at market rates (to those who lost their land) has already started.”

arijeetb

May 22nd, 2007, 12:39 PM

Source: Times of India website

^^ Good news...finally:) - hope they bring out the comprehensive plan very soon

Suncity

May 26th, 2007, 01:20 PM

..Members, any news on the 5000 Acre Dankuni Township Project?

BTW, The much slated township in 2005 is near Singur and located on a prospective growth corridor.

I had managed to get a spyshot of DLF's masterplan in 2006. http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/1163/image714tn9.th.jpg (http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image714tn9.jpg)

Does anyone have the area statement breakup % of the 4840 acres? (Resi, Comm, Inst, Indl, etc.? )

No news as such. Only heard that they are going slow because of strong opposition from Mamata didi, the Naxalites and various socialist NGOs.

The Unitech render for Dankuni did look better than the DLF one though.

Suncity

May 26th, 2007, 01:21 PM

No activity for the past so many days :(

Not to worry.

:)

Suncity

May 26th, 2007, 01:27 PM

I noticed a big piece of land which had been surrounded by these barricades with DLF signs. Wasn't sure what it was. The picture is very blurred (sorry). Looks like it is site of the proposed DLF Grand Mall. Although why they are building so many malls so close to each other is a bit of a mystery. I hope they don't repeat Gurgaon's mistakes.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6290/dlfgrandmallkolkatajd0.jpg

Here's a map for reference (found in the Sankalpa site)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2056/newtownkolkatamapze8.jpg

btirthankar

May 26th, 2007, 02:58 PM

No news as such. Only heard that they are going slow because of strong opposition from Mamata didi, the Naxalites and various socialist NGOs.

The Unitech render for Dankuni did look better than the DLF one though.

Yes sure it is. Unitech has been delivering excellent renderings for all of its projects. Theyare the best when it comes to aesthetics blended with contemporary minimalistic flavors.

KMDA which has to deliver the land may be lying low as it is doing for the Rajdanga Stadium project - 'Acropolis'.

If the Dankuni project launch gets delayed and the other upcoming townhship projects come up with supply earlier,

Either the project will not get a good response and slow down its pace.

Or it will try to dominate the market (due to its size) even as a late entrant.

We are talking about atleast 15-20 years time scale realistically.

When i did a demand assessment of the Kolkata market for Dankuni, the future absorption was not impressive and our JV partners backed out due to a huge negative cash flow.

Suncity

May 26th, 2007, 05:23 PM

When i did a demand assessment of the Kolkata market for Dankuni, the future absorption was not impressive and our JV partners backed out due to a huge negative cash flow.

Dankuni was promoted as an alternative, a long time back by WBHB. One of my friend's family even bought an apartment but it was of dubious quality and he had many funny stories to tell about the apartment's lack of planning. Dankuni never grew popular because of lack of proper connectivity to central Kolkata.

Dankuni township can only grow if the connectivity to the airport is assured through the second Vivekananda Bridge and Belghoria Expressway - which may take at least a year more. The connectivity to Esplanade via second Hooghly Bridge is not bad currently. But traffic on the Bombay Road is bound to increase.

The biggest question is what kind of buyer profile the companies are looking at. The township will have enough takers if the middle class is targeted. The upper middle class and the richer folks already have enough options in Kolkata and Rajarhat. One ignored segment are the rich folks of Howrah. But will they be ready to leave the dirty lanes of Howrah and move to a nicer, greener locality?

Suncity

May 26th, 2007, 08:55 PM

Rabi Rashmi project may be completed by November

An estate run on solar power
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070526/asp/calcutta/story_7823724.asp

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/7848/rabirashmigc6.jpg

A housing estate “fully powered by solar energy”, a first in the country, is coming up in New Town, Rajarhat.

Work on Rabi Rashmi, being developed by the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA), started in February last year and is likely to be ready by November.

“If there is no unexpected hitch, we hope to hand over the houses, all double-storeyed, to their owners by November,” said WBREDA director S.P. Gonchowdhury. Already, 25 houses, priced at Rs 43 lakh, have been sold.

“All electrical gadgets in the estate will be run on solar power,” the director added. Each household will generate power through a photo-voltaic system embedded in the roof and will have the option to sell power to the estate’s grid.

Each house will have two meters — one for recording the amount of power generated and the other for measuring the level of consumption. “If consumption is less than generation, the household can sell power to the grid. But if consumption exceeds generation, it will have to pay for drawing extra power from the grid,” Gonchowdhury pointed out.

Every house will have a water heater, rainwater harvesting system and a lily pool. There will also be a central swimming pool, where the water can be heated by solar power, and a community hall.

The estate will have two vehicles to ferry residents to Salt Lake or other places nearby.

“If the project is successful, we will build a bigger one near the airport,” Gonchowdhury added.

The Rajarhat project is being executed by Development Consultants Limited.

btirthankar

May 27th, 2007, 10:33 AM

Dankuni was promoted as an alternative, a long time back by WBHB. One of my friend's family even bought an apartment but it was of dubious quality and he had many funny stories to tell about the apartment's lack of planning. Dankuni never grew popular because of lack of proper connectivity to central Kolkata.

Dankuni township can only grow if the connectivity to the airport is assured through the second Vivekananda Bridge and Belghoria Expressway - which may take at least a year more. The connectivity to Esplanade via second Hooghly Bridge is not bad currently. But traffic on the Bombay Road is bound to increase.

The biggest question is what kind of buyer profile the companies are looking at. The township will have enough takers if the middle class is targeted. The upper middle class and the richer folks already have enough options in Kolkata and Rajarhat. One ignored segment are the rich folks of Howrah. But will they be ready to leave the dirty lanes of Howrah and move to a nicer, greener locality?

I found a housing estate by WBHB named 'Dankuni Abasan' in shambles near the 'v' crossing. Many commercial complexes lies vacant there. When asked those complexes were reportedly sold out, much to the dormant nature of the market as they had been purchased by investors waiting for the big day to come (when Dankuni gets launched).

In my many conversations with 'affluent businessmen' staying in dirty and dingy lanes of Burrabazar and Howrah, what emerged is that they will never relocate as their businesses are dependent on their proximity,

God knows what old world charm they get out of living in a place surrounded by dirt, noise and scum everywhere.

Dankuni will not sell homes to the poor as then the project will not be profitable at all. I did an assignment of calculating the GDV and GDC and the figures of Site Development costs and Infra itself were huge.

A lot of that investment needs to be recovered through a special purpose municipality that the SPV forms.

Look at Unitech Gateways (targetted to the HIG) average ticket price Rs. 40 Lacs. that also on a site that was meant to be a logistics hub's ancillary housing and tertiary services. Where have they all disappeared?
After paying 1 crore per acre, the rules had to be bended and the authorities dont seem to mind too even if its a clear deviation from the original mandate.

Dankuni as a project will make a big impact on local industry dynamics and a lot will be learnt from it.

btirthankar

May 27th, 2007, 02:03 PM

Airport, Logistics Hub To Come Up On 2,300 Acre Area At Andal
Swati Sengupta I TNN

Kolkata: Imagine an airport, industrial, logistics and IT hubs, sprawling housing estates with high-end bungalows, leisure, sports and retail zones spread over 2,300 acres.
This unique plan — Aerotropolis, an Aero City — is being worked out for the Asansol-Durgapur area. Andal has been chosen as the site. State government officials said acquisition would not be a problem here as most of the land is fallow. State commerce and industries minister Nirupam Sen and urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya discussed the Rs 5500-crore plan at a meeting this week.
Pragati Social Infrastructure & Development Limited, a joint venture company of Pragati Growth & Development Limited and Housing & Urban Development Corporation Limited, has received an initial go-ahead for the airport from the ministry of civil aviation, officials said. Asansol Durgapur Development Authority is also a part of the project as it involves huge infrastructure and housing development, with the new urban centre set to accommodate an approximate 150,000 people.
According to an official, the nod from the ministry of civil aviation is an “acceptance of the fact that there can be an airport subject to feasibility studies carried out by consultants”. On Friday, Sen said the company wants West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation’s involvement, too.
CPM MP Samik Lahiri, a member of the Parliament standing committee on tourism, transport and culture, said apart from Cooch Behar and Malda, the CPM also wants an airport in the Burnpur-Asansol-Durgapur belt.
This is due to the pressure of industry in the region, and need for smooth cargo movement. As industry is growing steadily, the need for an airport is felt strongly.
While officials of Pragati Social Infrastructure & Development Limited were tightlipped about the project, government officials said the proposed airport is being planned for both cargo and passenger traffic. Fund resources for the project will be several, with some amount of cross subsidy, for which the huge housing projects are being clubbed together with the airport plan. IN THE PIPELINE
Aerotropolis area: 2,300 acre Project value: Rs 5500 crore Airport and aerotech facilities (500 acre)
Focus on cargo and supply chain, feeder route for passenger traffic, parking facilities, flying institute, industrial hub (535 acre) Food park, facilities for hi-tech units, standard design factories, IT, logistics hub, institutional area
Housing complex (298 acre) for middle and low-income groups, high-end residential complex (323 acre)
Hospital, school, community centre, market, golf course, sports club, theme park, commercial centre, hypermart (345 acre)

Also Read: http://www.blonnet.com/2007/02/11/stories/2007021104780100.htm

Aerotropolis - new `cities' springing up around airports

K.V. Kurmanath

GMR group to develop the urban hub around new Hyderabad airport

`India should go for an organised, economically efficient, and environmentally sustainable aerotropolis.'

Hyderabad Feb. 10 When the new international airport here gets ready for commercial operations in early 2008, it would not be just another airport. It is going to be the nucleus of the country's first aerotropolis, a new urban form that would house business parks, hotels, residential units and entertainment areas.

The aerotropolis would come up around the new generation airport.

The GMR group, which also bagged the international airport project at Delhi with Fraport of Germany, would also develop the aerotropolis.

These airport cities would be taken up on the lines of Incheon (South Korea), Dubai and Munich airports. An aerotropolis offers operational convenience for companies and organisations to maximise the benefits, while cutting down on expenditure significantly.

"We are in the process of finalising a master plan with the help of CPG consultants based out of Singapore," Mr G.M. Rao, Chairman of the GMR group, told Business Line. The company expects the plan to be ready in two months.

Greenfield airport

GMR leads a consortium comprising GMR Infrastructure (63 per cent) and Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (11 per cent) to construct Rs 2,283.18-crore greenfield airport at Shamshadbad near here.

"The aerotropolis would prove to be a trigger to the State's economy, with a number of multinational companies preferring to have office, residential convention and exposition facilities in the vicinity of the airport," he said.

According to Prof John D. Kasarda, Director of the US-based Frank Kawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, airports would do what seaports, railways and highways did in the past, resulting in the phenomenal growth of business locations.

Economic impact

Prof Kasarda, who coined the word aerotropolis and studied extensively how airports affected growth in major cities, said spines and clusters of airport-linked businesses are forming along airport transportation corridors in a radius of 25 km. "There will be significant economic impact up to 90 km," he observed.

Prof Kasarda was recently in Delhi to speak on `Airport-driven business development — India's aerotropolis opportunity'.

Stating that India had a huge potential to tap, Prof Kasarda said the country should rather go for an organised, economically efficient, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable aerotropolis.

Much Like the 10000 acres MIHAN project at Nagpur has 3645 acres of land dedicated to three Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and a captive power plant..

http://www.durgapurasansolplus.com/fullStory.asp?articleID=DUAS3ART427200761248

Time for take off

Air facility, IT and industrial zones across 2,000 acres between Andal and Durgapur on the cards, reports Kanchan Chatterjee

The Durgapur-Asansol belt will soon have an airstrip and helipad of its own. Other than facilitating cargo movements, the state government also hopes that the airstrip will also facilitate movement of industrialists. This is being widely seen in the corridors of Writers’ Buildings, as the first bold step towards bringing in more investments for the belt. According to sources, the Centre has recently given the go-ahead for constructing the airstrip near Andal where 300 acres land has been allocated for the purpose.

“Pragati Social Infrastructure and Development Limited in association with HUDCO will jointly execute the project,” said mayor Rathin Mitra.

Large residential housing complexes and an industrial and IT zone will also be set up near the proposed airport. The DVC has already started work for a thermal power project beside the airport.

Bansa Gopal Chowdhury, the chairman of Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA)said, “The air-strip will come up on the barren stretch of land between Durgapur and Andal. The air-facility will be known as Green Field Air Port. Three hundred acres of land has been allotted for this purpose. The state government will extend all help to the company to ensure timely completion of the project.”

Narayan Swarup Nigam, the CEO, ADDA said, “The company requires 2,000 acres of land for this project. They will construct the air facility on 500 acres, an industrial and IT zone on 500 acres and for the township, they have a requirement of 1,000 acres of land. We will not have any problem in allocating land for the purpose,” he explained.

There cannot be better news for Abhinaba Chatterjee and Souvik Roy of Durgapur, both software engineers in the USA. “For better employment we had to leave the city but there might be a day when we will have to return to the city. The Air Port and the IT Zone is another feather in the cap of Durgapur. The airport was necessary in this city rather in this region. A tedious rail and road journey after a nice and comfortable air trip is troublesome. We are extremely happy for this venture."

Industrialists are also very happy. Suresh Agarwal, managing director of a group of Ferro Alloy Industries said, “This will make it easier for us to attend meetings and conferences in other states. At the same time, it will become easy for us to return here.”

On the other hand, a large number of farmers who have some land in the area marked for the airport, doesn’t seem too perturbed. “Since these areas are not connected by any canal, we had to depend solely on the rain for our cultivation. We could produce paddy only once in a year. If these areas are developed we would be able to engage ourselves in some other trade for the better,”clarified one such farmer.

sidney_jec

May 29th, 2007, 07:12 AM

Is it a new hotel apart from the one being built by Unitech or the same wih a new hospitality partner?

Unitech ties up with Ritz Carlton

Nayantara Rai / New Delhi May 29, 2007

Real estate developer Unitech Ltd is bringing the super-luxury chain of hotels, Ritz Carlton, to Kolkata’s Royal Calcutta Golf Club. The club, reputed to be the second oldest golf club in the world, will be giving Unitech six acres on perpetual lease for building the hotel.

While Unitech will acquire the land on lease and build the hotel, Ritz Carlton will manage daily operations.

Unitech is planning to develop approximately 6 lakh sq ft on the site, of which half will be for the hotel and the rest for serviced apartments. The 200-room hotel and serviced apartments will require an investment of Rs 500 crore, excluding the cost of the land. Construction for the hotel will begin this June and complete by 2010.

“We will be investing Rs 10,000 crore over four years for hotels and six to seven malls. The malls will be big-ticket projects, with a minimum built-up area of half a million square feet,” said Sanjay Chandra, managing director, Unitech.

The realty company has acquired sites for 28 hotels. Currently Unitech is developing four hotels which will be managed by Marriot Courtyard.

btirthankar

May 30th, 2007, 10:27 AM

Is it a new hotel apart from the one being built by Unitech or the same wih a new hospitality partner?

RCGC is the Royal Calcutta Golf Club where Unitech proposes to build a hotel. it is a new development in addition to the other two hotels at Rajarhat viz. at Infospace and HIDCO Convention Centre.

The location of this hotel is in the deep fringes of Southern Kolkata where the Golf Club is located. RCGC is a prestigious precinct no doubt for a hallmark hotel.

Suncity

May 30th, 2007, 02:06 PM

This is RCGC. A luxury hotel in south Kolkata will be a good addition.

photo cc rights suncity
<---scroll if needed--->

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4875/rcgckolkata2yq0.jpg

Civitas

May 31st, 2007, 05:44 AM

from ePaper TOI

Infosys logs out of Brand Bengal
High Land Price, Unionised Ambience Forced Firm To Back Out: Murthy
Ajanta Chakraborty | TNN

Kolkata: Infosys has finally said no to Bengal. The IT giant will not come to the state, describing the price of land, quoted by the government, as “exorbitant”. And it has also expressed apprehension over the “frequent political disruptions and unionised ambience in the state”.
The message from N R Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys Technologies, has been conveyed to the industry department bosses here. “Now there’s no denying that we have failed to bag the Infosys project,” rued IT minister Debesh Das.
By March, his department was supposed to hand over 100 acres at Rajarhat for the Infosys software development centre. West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) would have acquired the 800 acres in front of Vedic Village at New Town in Rajarhat to accommodate companies like Infosys and Wipro. Two months after the deadline, Murthy’s company has informed the state government that it is not at all interested in doing business here.
Murthy had met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in early 2006. As desired by him, a team of Infosys officials visited Rajarhat in search of suitable land in May last year. The proposed unit would have
employed 5,000 IT professionals over two years.
The chief minister had been trying hard to woo Infosys to the state since 2003, quoting the Hewitt Associates’ findings that West Bengal will be one of the top three IT destinations by 2010. He also projected Kolkata as the country’s fifth preferred ITeS destination, as per a Nasscom study.
The entire effort has come to a naught. But the state information technology department had been trying hard to wangle the Infosys project by trying out various options. Industry department sources said the government had initially offered Infosys some land belonging to Hidco at Rs 2.16 crore an acre.
“Infosys had then said the price was absurd because it had been purchasing land at anything between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 50 lakh an acre elsewhere in the country,” said an official.
“The issue became more contentious when Hidco said it could not give Infosys land at such a low rate as realtors were ready to offer even Rs 10 crore for an acre,” he added.
Finally, it was decided that WBIDC would acquire 800 acres opposite Vedic Village. “This time, Infosys was offered land at Rs 1.2 crore per acre. But it turned that down saying the price was still exorbitant,” said the official.
“Infosys’ big-bang arrival in the state would have shored up confidence levels across national and global IT communities,” sighed a senior government official. And, Infosys’ very presence would have done wonders to Brand Buddha’s image.

Suncity

May 31st, 2007, 06:18 AM

from ePaper TOI

Infosys logs out of Brand Bengal
High Land Price, Unionised Ambience Forced Firm To Back Out: Murthy
Ajanta Chakraborty | TNN

Well someone can logout only if they log in. Infosys was not going to happen and this was the rumour for quite a few months. Getting prime real estate at a cheap price was the main interest of Infosys in Kolkata. If Infosys really was interested in Kolkata it could have taken a smaller plot of land and presented India with a modern IT skyscraper. Where there is a will there is always a way. Infosys had long placed its bets on Bhubaneswar over Kolkata. The government tried its best. But Mr Murthy wasn't impressed. The "land price" and the "unionised ambience" are silly excuses on the part of Mr Murthy - that is if he really made those comments.

btirthankar

May 31st, 2007, 07:20 AM

Well someone can logout only if they log in. Infosys was not going to happen and this was the rumour for quite a few months. Getting prime real estate at a cheap price was the main interest of Infosys in Kolkata. If Infosys really was interested in Kolkata it could have taken a smaller plot of land and presented India with a modern IT skyscraper. Where there is a will there is always a way. Infosys had long placed its bets on Bhubaneswar over Kolkata. The government tried its best. But Mr Murthy wasn't impressed. The "land price" and the "unionised ambience" are silly excuses on the part of Mr Murthy - that is if he really made those comments.

In the past 5 years, prominent land transactions through bids and tenders have shown an irregular pattern. Eg: Dankuni, Emaar MGF Hotel, KWIC, SP Mass Housing, Kolkata Logistics Hub. The visible trend is not actually linear.
Thats because each land parcel is unique with specific return characteristics.

As the Government and its Agencies mostly control land transactions, they should follow a goal oriented memorandum towards the businesses that acquire land from them.

There is no ready formula for land valuations but a scientific approach can be taken towards land pricing by these agencies.

Th underlying solution is to take a two tier approach:

One: The nature of activity that the recepient of the land intends to undertake.

A developer will square off his investment after project completion, than an IT Company as in this case. So a developer should be charged a premium in contrast as the IT company will bring in sustained business and employment.

Two: The economic benefits that accrue from the land should be measured and the pricing set. They could be: nature of development, income streams, employment potential, contribution to the state's economy and other indirect benefits like attracting other companies to the state and positive impact on other sectors like: tourism, hospitality, aviation etc.

Infosys should have been provided land at an attractive price as the indirect benefits to the State were many as it would have acted as a magnet alongwith Wipro.

This would have attracted many more and gradually the bar could have been raised.

Suncity

May 31st, 2007, 07:35 AM

The economic benefits that accrue from the land should be measured and the pricing set. They could be: nature of development, income streams, employment potential, contribution to the state's economy and other indirect benefits like attracting other companies to the state and positive impact on other sectors like: tourism, hospitality, aviation etc.

I am sure the state government realized that. After all it gave subsidies to Tata Motors. Why wouldn't it subsidize Infosys then? I simply think Infosys was not interested. It was just testing waters to see if it could get some prime land at a cheap price. And as I said, if Infosys was really interested, it could have taken a smaller piece of land and built an office tower. I am sure the media will come out with more chatpata stuff on this failed deal.

R2IChennai

May 31st, 2007, 08:01 AM

Sunny78

May 31st, 2007, 08:50 AM

I think infosys and wipro are just acting like real estate mafia. They have acquired hundreds or acres of prime land without committing definite plans to utilize the entire land acquired. While TCS bought 70 acres in chennai to build a campus of 3.5 million sq. ft. for 35,000 employees, wipro has over 105 acres in sholinganallur and another 95 acres in Mahindra world city. However, they only plan to employ around 1000 people in Mahindra city campus. And they have committed to employ only around 9000 in Sholinganallur campus.

Also, infosys plans to employ a max of 25,000 people in their 129 acre campus in Mcity. But so far, the total employee strength is not more than 5,000. Also, they promise such high figures, but no such effort is visible on the ground.

Also I'm not sure why infosys is demanding 550 acres in hyderabad and 800 acres in Bangalore. They say they are going to build golf courses, five star hotel and service apartments for clients and employees. Are they diversifying their business into commercial real estate? If so, why are they demanding concessions for such nefarious objectives? Why don't they compete with Unitech, DLF, Sobha, RMZ or hotel chains like Oberoi, Hilton, etc.. in level playing field?

ss_online2003

May 31st, 2007, 01:20 PM

Yes, in its Home Ground - Bangalore too, Infy has been accused of owning large tracts of prime land which it bought at very cheap price and not doing anything with those unused land.

sidney_jec

May 31st, 2007, 01:29 PM

I am sure the state government realized that. After all it gave subsidies to Tata Motors. Why wouldn't it subsidize Infosys then? I simply think Infosys was not interested. It was just testing waters to see if it could get some prime land at a cheap price. And as I said, if Infosys was really interested, it could have taken a smaller piece of land and built an office tower. I am sure the media will come out with more chatpata stuff on this failed deal.

the policy of Infosys is in accordance with the controversial statements made by HD Devegowda that Infy is actually acquiring prime tracts of land to make hay..visionary people like NR Narayanmurthy saying that the land prices are high make no economic sense whatsoever...m highly disappointed the way Infy has dealt with the issue of setting up a campus in the city..it never had the intention to do so...just blabber what ever u want to please the politic bigwigs..

sidney_jec

May 31st, 2007, 01:52 PM

New hotels in town...:pepper: :applause:

A bouquet of hotels for Bengal, from Singapore
SOHINI MOOKHERJEA

Calcutta, May 30: The Singapore-based company converting Lady Ranu Mukherjee’s Ho Chi Minh Sarani house into a boutique-heritage hotel will also create a string of hospitality addresses across Bengal — from New Town to Darjeeling.

The Wellside Group has tied up with Singapore’s biggest real estate developer, the $15-billion Far East Organisation, and Starwood Capital Group Global to invest Rs 800 crore in Bengal.

The plan includes a business-cum-convention centre and hotel in New Town Rajarhat, a luxury destination in the hills and a chain of smart hotels in smaller cities .

“We are looking at setting up a combination of properties. About 60 per cent of the investment would be ours. The share of Far East and Starwood Capital would be decided later,” said Aditya Poddar, the chairman of the Wellside Group of Companies.

Far East chief executive officer Philip Ng will meet Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee next month.

Wellside will form a separate hospitality company with Far East, which has been operating in Singapore for 45 years and has over 180 development and investment companies under its umbrella.

Far East’s hospitality division has five hotels — Orchard Parade, The Elizabeth, Albert Court, Golden Landmark and Changi Village — in Singapore. Its sister concern, Sino Group, has the Royal Pacific Hotel and Towers, the City Garden Hotel, Island Pacific Hotel, and the Gold Coast Hotel in Hong Kong.

Part of the renowned hospitality and real estate group Starwood, Starwood Capital specialises in real estate investment on behalf of private and institutional partners.

The new company’s first project will be the heritage hotel opposite 22, Camac Street.

The property, Poddar said, will be christened Rajbari.

Discussions are on with the Raffles chain of Singapore for its management.

“We hope to finalise our partner in the next seven to 10 days,” Poddar said, adding Rs 275 crore will be invested in the project.

Around Rs 200 crore will be invested in the New Town hotel. The company has applied to the government for land.

For the luxury property in Darjeeling, which “should be finalised in the next one month”, Poddar did not rule out looking at tea estates.

The budget for this one: Rs 80 to 90 crore.

A chain of smart budget-business hotels is also on the anvil in Siliguri, Haldia and Kharagpur, each at a cost of around Rs 60 crore.

“The room rates would be between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 and would target business travellers in cities of commercial interest,” said Poddar.

The Siliguri project is likely to kick off first. Poddar said it would be finalised within the next month.

arijeetb

May 31st, 2007, 04:12 PM

Infosys is acting like a realestate company than an IT company
I wonder why govt should give land for cheap for IT companies, they can provide better support by relaxing norms, FSI, faster paper work, uninterupted power supply etc Land is not a neccesity for IT companies and they could might as well lease out space like MNC companies (IBM/HP/Accenture)

Going by the comments of every one and the actual result it gives one the feeling that their main aim was negotiating and making the govt compromise by giving land at cheap rates. This looked to be their priority rather than tapping the IT talent in the home state.

arijeetb

May 31st, 2007, 04:15 PM

Any updates on the other IT majors?

I believe TCS deal of around 40 acres is closed but not sure about Wipro and ITC Infotech which are also negotiating with govt for expansion.

Civitas

June 1st, 2007, 02:55 AM

Is there a joke going on among WB Government, Infosys Officials and Media ???

from ePaper TOI

ON TRACK
Infosys project on, claims IT minister
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: State IT minister Debesh Das insisted on Thursday that the proposed IT project of Infosys Technologies in West Bengal was still on. The government is trying to hand over land to the IT major in another two to three months at the location identified earlier near Vedic Village in Rajarhat.
Besides, the IT department hopes to hand over land to Wipro and ITC Infotech in Rajarhat during the same period. Das also informed that German IT & engineering multinational Siemens is planning to ramp up operations in the state in a big way.
“We are in constant touch with Infosys officials. We met them recently in Mumbai and Bangalore and they are more than willing to come to our state. There has been a delay on our part to hand over the land by March 31. But the process is on,” he claimed.
Infosys has sought 100 acres for the proposed project. Land requirement for the second Wipro project and ITC Infotech project is close to 50 acre each. “We need 200 acres for these three projects that have already been identified,” Das added. The minister further pointed out that the state government will offer land to Infosys, Wipro and ITC Infotech at a price less than the prevailing market rate in Rajarhat. “We are likely to charge less than Rs 1 crore per acre for the land while the average price is Rs 2.2 crore,” Das said. Infosys had expressed discomfort earlier about the high land price in Rajarhat.
“We are on the right track. Our IT export is growing at 44% higher rate than the national average of 32%,” Das said, adding that the state’s IT export was worth Rs 3,500 crore in 2006-07.

cbeboy

June 2nd, 2007, 10:49 AM

Hotel chains zeroing in on Kolkata to set up shop (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/02/stories/2007060206461100.htm)

Perhaps reflecting the economic resurgence in West Bengal, major international and national hotel chains are on a spree to set open shop in Kolkata.

According to industry estimates, in the next three to four years the city will have nearly 12-15 star hotels, mostly in the business category, with a combined capacity of 2,000-2,500 rooms.

A majority of these hotels are proposed to be set up in the eastern fringes of Kolkata, in the Rajarhat and New Town areas, because of the availability of large plots, proximity to Kolkata airport and the planned industrial units in the area. The proposed investment is envisaged in the range of Rs 2,000-3,000 crore excluding the cost of land, which is rising.

When asked, Dr G.D. Gautama, Principal Secretary, State Tourism Department, confirmed the development. Major international hotel chains, including the Intercontinental Group, Hilton Hotels and Marriott Hotels and Resorts, have shown an interest in starting operations in Kolkata. Besides, existing players like the Peerless Group and Radisson Group have also lined up expansion plans.

In the line

A couple of hotels are expected to come up on the plot owned by the Airport Hotel, which recently changed hands from the MBD Group to the Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group. Likewise, the erstwhile Great Eastern Hotel, which has been taken over by the Bharat Hotels Group and rechristened the Grand Great Eastern, is being renovated and is expected to be operational from December 2008. Real estate developers, including Emmar MGF and Ambuja Realty, also have plans to set up hospitality projects in the city.

Kolkata currently has about 25 star hotels, including four luxury hotels, with nearly 1,500 rooms. Surprisingly, in the last four years, not a single luxury hotel project was developed in the city. "Land was mostly the issue. Besides, there was uncertainty about demand for the product," said Mr Shubhendu Saha, Senior Manager, Investment Advisory, DTZ India.

Suncity

June 2nd, 2007, 05:31 PM

Is there a joke going on among WB Government, Infosys Officials and Media ???

from ePaper TOI

Infosys project on, claims IT minister

It's looks like a face saving excercise, considering the negative impact of the purported foolish statement from Infosys. 100 acres of land is not a joke in land starved south Bengal and Infosys should not even be demanding it. They want to set up a development centre - just go ahead and build a 40 storey tower. After Mamata's somewhat successful land agitation, the government is in a backfoot over any development project that needs land. Let's see if Infosys has a change of mind and heart.

Suncity

June 2nd, 2007, 05:33 PM

Deloitte to set up software services centre in Kolkata
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=165964

The world's second largest professional services company with an annual revenue of $20 billion, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, has decided to expand its services range in Kolkata by setting up an enterprise application software services delivery centre, its second one in India after Mumbai.
According to Dileep Choksi, the joint management partner of Deloitte, one of the big four global consulting companies, it will start offering its full range of consulting business--from audit and tax consulting to financial advisory services--to its eastern region clients as well as companies located in other parts of India and abroad.

While the West Bengal government is still scouting for 100 acres for Infosys Technologies as it failed to acquire the land opposite to Vedic Village at Rajarhat in New Town within the March 30 deadline, Deloitte's decision to set up its own office at Sector V in Salt Lake Electronics Complex comes as a relief to it.

Deloitte's entry in application software business can be a good news for Debesh Das, the Bengal IT minister, who these days is busy in fixing a meeting with Infosys officials so that they can have a look at an alternative site in and around Kolkata.

Deloitte plans to start its full-fledged operations within the next six weeks with 100 people initially. The majority of them will be in application software developement, said Choksi.

Choksi said Deloitte has altogether 2200 people in India working in different practices. "We are beefing up our operations in Kolkata in order to serve our eastern region clients, and be in an exciting position," said Choksi.

Suncity

June 2nd, 2007, 05:41 PM

A changing scenario for Kolkata

More jobs for fresh grads
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Kolkata/Big_bucks_for_fresh_grads/articleshow/2015924.cms

Even five years ago, no one would imagine that a 21-year-old undergraduate would command a salary package of Rs 4 lakh even before he/she passes out. Now, even 'ordinary undergraduates' from Kolkata are hot picks for top firms like Infosys and McKinsey, who are roping in freshers not by the dozens but by the hundreds.

This year 100 graduates from Presidency College have been offered jobs by corporate houses and St Xavier's has already managed to place over 250. Scottish Church College, Lady Brabourne College, Bethune College and Ashutosh College have already placed several students — and the placement season is not yet over.

Students are thrilled that a new world of opportunities has opened for them, sparing them the drudgery of going through a masters degree.

While St Xavier's has been routinely holding placements for its graduate students for more than six years now, the others have taken to it over the last three years.

And the phenomenon is still gaining momentum. Even colleges like Lady Brabourne and Bethune, which were somewhat conservative about students getting into jobs right after graduation instead of going for higher studies, have chucked their inhibitions.

"Unless one wants to become a teacher, there is no point pursuing an MA or MSc course,"said Ashish Fogla, an economics student of Presidency College, who has just given his part-two exam and has already bagged a job with the Gurgaon outfit of McKenzie with a starting salary of nearly Rs 4 lakh. His classmates Swati Nahata and Chetan have bagged similar offers while a third, Rahul Singhal, has been picked up by Maruti Udyog for a comparable offer for its Faridabad unit. Google has picked up 12 graduating students from English, economics, sociology and political science departments, whereas Infosys has netted 14 students for its Bangalore office.

"We are noticing a marked change in the job scenario. Even two years ago, it was difficult for a fresh graduate to bag a decent job. This year we have had undergraduates hooking jobs that pay over Rs 4 lakh annually,"said Amitava Chatterjee, faculty member and placement cell in-charge of Presidency College.

At St Xavier's College, where at least 50 graduating students have been offered packages of over Rs 4 lakh per annum, this year's placements have been much better than expected, said placement cell in-charge, Aniruddha Sinha. McKinsey, which has picked up 12 students, Google (16 students) and Jet Airways (10 students) have made the highest offers.

It's a boon for students of English, political science, mass communication and BBA.

"Though we have not bagged jobs worth Rs 4 lakh, we are happy with our offers of nearly Rs 3 lakh. It is not only the money that excites us, but also the fact that we have been able to start a career without forcing ourselves into higher studies,"said Ankush, Ajay and Kalpana, who have been offered jobs by CTS, ITC Infotech and Future First.

Suncity

June 2nd, 2007, 06:05 PM

Jai had posted some renders before. Cannot find them

Anyway it is now officially up at the http://www.ambujarealty.com website.

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/8872/takshashilaswabhumifl0.jpg

Located within Kolkata's only heritage plaza, Swabhumi, on the EM Bypass, Takshasila is a five star hotel in the making with 150 modern & well appointed rooms, exclusive club, spa, retail, streetscape, banquets, amphitheatre etc spread over 5 acres of land. The project Takshasila, which is already in progress from early 2007, is scheduled to complete in mid 2009.

A glimspe of the Swabhumi Heritage Plaza
photo cc rights suncity

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/8232/swabhumikolkatawi1.jpg

Jai

June 2nd, 2007, 07:06 PM

Added a thread in the main forums on:
Kolkata (Calcutta) | Vedic Hotels | 150m | App (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=481281)

Jai

June 2nd, 2007, 07:08 PM

Jai had posted some renders before. Cannot find them

Anyway it is now officially up at the http://www.ambujarealty.com website.

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/8872/takshashilaswabhumifl0.jpg
Here ya go Sun :)

Swabhumi Hotel Complex, Kolkata [Design Stage]

Designed by Morhogenisis Architects, the Swabhumi Hotel Complex is a 50 room 7 star luxury hotel cum retail development
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/2134/swabhoomihotelcomplex12sr0.jpg
http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/508/swabhoomihotelcomplex22mn5.jpg

Suncity

June 2nd, 2007, 08:19 PM

Thanks Jai!

:cheers:

sidney_jec

June 5th, 2007, 07:01 AM

Source: telegraph.com

Flyover for tech hub key crossing
KINSUK BASU

Swift passage: The intersection that leads to Sector V’s tech hub is set to have a flyover. A Telegraph picture
The state government will build a flyover at the JK Saha bridge intersection in Salt Lake to ease traffic flow to and from the Sector V tech hub.

The 500-metre, north-south flyover will stretch from Bowler’s Den, on the Salt Lake Bypass, to the Wipro office. The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will start work on the Rs 18-crore project next month-end.

The concrete-and-steel structure will have four lanes and offer vehicles moving towards the Rajarhat flyover a speedy passage over the intersection.

“We carried out a survey to identify the cause of traffic problems at the intersection and find a way to tackle them. The flyover was conceived after the survey,” said the CEO of the government agency, P.R. Baviskar.

One traffic outpost, two constables and a traffic light were not enough to handle traffic at the intersection, the study had concluded.

Two people died this year after mishaps at the junction.

The waiting time at the crossing, according to Sector V employees, varies between two minutes and seven minutes, depending on the time of the day.

“The intersection has always been a problem,” said Ajoyendra Mukherjee, vice-president and head of Calcutta operations, Tata Consultancy Services. “The flyover will reduce the traffic problems in the area,” said Rabindra Chamaria, chairman, Infinity.

The study found on an average, about 60,000 vehicles use the crossing daily. The number will shoot up once Main Arterial Road and the New Town tech hub are ready.

The chief engineer of the traffic and transportation wing of the CMDA, Debdas Bhattacharya, said: “There will be service roads beside the flyover. The Salt Lake Bypass will be widened to prevent a bottleneck at the intersection.”

In addition, two roads will be built near Nicco Park and the entry point of AL and BL blocks, off Amartya Abasan, to improve traffic flow in Salt Lake.

I just dont understand why the flyovers or the elevated roadways are just 4 lanes despite knowing the fact that these structures cant be widened..The traffic congestion may not be as great to have a 6 lane flyover now but in future it may(or will) be required. Are these govt officers so short sighted..
:mad: :mad: :mad:

sidney_jec

June 5th, 2007, 07:18 AM

A BBD Bagh rejuvenation plan yet again..
Source:TOI Epaper

Night out in BBD Bag: Buddha weaves culture hub dreams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee wove grand dreams of a rejuvenated, vibrant BBD Bag on Monday, saying that the world heritage site could soon turn into a thriving culture hub in the evenings. The square, which serves as the city’s business and administrative district, is a chaotic cauldron of smoke-belching vehicles, an army of hawkers and harassed office-goers now.
But the CM believes that this can be changed. “This place is alive and bustling with activity during the day. But right after 6-7 pm it turns into a dead area. What if we changed that and made it a place of cultural activity — with Laldighi gleaming in the background?” he asked, speaking at the inauguration of the underground ‘house for cars’ opposite Writers’ Buildings on Monday.
“Two years from now, once the parking lot is completed, I want this place to be covered with Mexican grass — that’s the best variety. The greenery must be maintained and space should be created for pedestrians,” said the chief minister.
As of now, the finance department has sanctioned Rs 35.97 crore for the parking lot project, which would transform the parking chaos inside BBD Bag opposite Writers’. Around 650 vehicles can be housed insider the two-tier car park.
One of the spin-offs of the project would be the fact that the riverfront beautification plan would also get a major fillip. The complete restoration drive would stretch to Curzon Park and Shahid Minar in the south.
On Friday, Bhattacharjee and his Cabinet colleagues saw for
themselves what the grand dream would look like once it becomes reality, as S S Chakraborty, managing director of Consulting Engineering Services (CES), gave the presentation for the project.
The underground parking lot is the first step of the riverfront upgrade package, which includes an open-air theatre for performing arts, food courts along the Hooghly, an Eiffel Tower-like steel structure and the revival of all heritage buildings surrounding Laldighi.
The CM confessed that 80% of the vehicles travelling through the business district had nothing to do with the area. “They only pass through the area to reach some other destination,” said Bhattacharjee. “We must divert these vehicles and streamline traffic flow. We must also make the city more mobile and a better place to live in.”
Having said that, he stressed on the need to beautify the dwellings of the poor as well. “Development might mean flyovers. But it makes no sense to have the poor living under them. The poor must also be included in the development process,” said Bhattacharjee.
Among those who attended the inauguration were PWD minister Kshiti Goswami, his minister of state Manohar Tirkey, finance minister Asim Dasgupta and mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. Goswami assured, “None of the big trees here will be felled. Smaller ones will be cut only when that is absolutely necessary. We shall keep most of these trees, which are a refuge for hundreds of small birds.”
Mackintosh Burn would start work on the project this month. CTC has already started relocating the tram tracks in the area.