Kolkata Project Update II - project news from Kolkata [Archive] - Page 10

Suncity

June 19th, 2009, 06:06 AM

Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari wont be happy with this

Interestingly the city seen as the poverty capital of the country has lowest poverty rate amongst the 8 cities as per this report.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6851/kolkataconsumption4.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/kolkataconsumption4.jpg/)

Kolkata has highest purchasing power

http://www.livemint.com/2009/06/18231222/Kolkata-has-highest-purchasing.html

An ongoing study at Indian Statistical Institute, or ISI, has revealed that Kolkata has the highest per capita purchasing power among all metros. The reason: smaller population and low poverty compared with other metros.
Household expenditure in Kolkata was found to be Rs1,822 per person per month on average, which is much higher than other metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Chennai comes second, with a monthly per capita household expenditure of Rs1,570. Hyderabad comes third, followed by Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi.
Data for the study was collected in 2004-05 by the National Sample Survey Organisation, or NSSO, under its so- called large sample survey of household consumer expenditure, which is conducted every five years. Under the survey, NSSO collects data on consumption of almost all household goods and services. For the first time, the data is being analysed separately for all rural and urban districts.

The data collected by NSSO was adjusted for regional price variations and differences in cost of living in each city, according to Buddhadeb Ghosh, associate scientist at ISI’s economic research unit, who is conducting the study.

“The formula that we used to adjust the data was discussed and agreed upon by statisticians of ISI,” he added.
Many people that Mint spoke to were initially sceptical about the study.
For instance, Jatinder S. Dhindsa, regional manager of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd in Kolkata, who said “In Delhi, Maruti sells around 12,000 cars a month, whereas in Kolkata, we sell 1,600. Kolkata is yet a very important market for our company, but it’s very surprising that purchasing power in Kolkata is higher than in Delhi or Mumbai.”
The high per capita purchasing power in Kolkata is a function of small population and low poverty “in the area that was considered as Kolkata under the study”, said Ghosh. “We only considered the area under Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), where the total population is only 4.1 million. Also, poverty is very low—only 2.28%.”
To be sure, Kolkata is much bigger than the 141 municipal wards of KMC. Greater Kolkata and neighbouring Howrah—the town across the Hooghly river—combined, the city has a population of 15-16 million.
The study indicates that the area under KMC, which is roughly 185 sq. km, has largely remained the preserve of families that have been living there for generations, according to Ghosh. “However, even if Howrah and the extensions of Kolkata in the north, south and the east, were considered, the figure (for per capita purchasing power) wouldn’t be significantly lower though it wouldn’t be as high as in the area under Kolkata Corporation only,” he added.
For retail chains, Kolkata has always offered “a very strong market”, according to Sanjiv Goenka, vice chairman of RPG Enterprises, which runs Spencer’s superstores. “People here are willing to spend and we have seen reflections of Kolkata’s high consumer spending in our sales—sales per sq. ft (of store space) in Kolkata is among the highest in the country,” he said.
Venugopal Dhoot, chairman of Videocon Industries Ltd agrees with Goenka about Kolkata’s potentials.
“Kolkata is one of the best markets in the country for high end consumer durables such as plasma televisions.
Demand is also high among lower middle class people, who would typically buy, say, small television sets costing Rs3,000-5,000 (each),” said Dhoot. “However, we have noticed that in the middle-income segment, consumer spending (in Kolkata) is not that great... this is probably because the middle class in Kolkata is conservative and prefers to save more than spend,” he added.
“I wouldn’t comment on a study that hasn’t been concluded,” said Asim Dasgupta, West Bengal’s finance minister. “But yes, we know from NSSO figures that per capita consumption expenditure in Kolkata is significantly higher than the national average. In Kolkata, consumption of durables and the propensity to save are very high. In fact, consumption of durables such as refrigerator, fans and other utilities has gone up so much that we have had to revise our estimates for power consumption.”
Many companies are beginning to discover the hidden wealth of Kolkata. For instance, OSL Prestige Pvt. Ltd—the sole distributor of BMW cars in Kolkata, which in the past year has done a much better business than it had initially expected.
“The response that we received was phenomenal. We had expected to sell 50 cars between May and December last year, but we sold 70,” said Charchit Mishra, managing director of OSL Prestige.
A sales executive at the store said Kolkata has always had a lot of wealthy people, but they were shy of spending whereas in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, spending on luxury goods, or so called conspicuous consumption, has traditionally been high.
“It’s only now that a lot of people in Kolkata, particularly the younger generation, are beginning to spend,” added this executive, who did not wish to be identified because he isn’t authorized to speak to the media.
Real estate developers tasted Kolkata’s purchasing power during the recent downturn in the economy. Whereas real estate prices in other metros such as Delhi and Mumbai crashed last year, they declined by up to 14% only in Kolkata.
“In Kolkata, there’s always been takers for properties that were priced currently,” said Abhijit Das, joint managing director of Lemongrass Advisors Pvt. Ltd, a Kolkata-based real estate advisory and broking firm, citing the example of Eden Court—a residential cum commercial project being developed at Rajarhat on the eastern fringes of Kolkata by Tata Housing Development Co. Ltd.
“They managed to sell some 200 flats in one month because the apartments were priced at Rs30-40 lakh,” he added.

Samrat

June 19th, 2009, 11:06 AM

I am surprised Kolkata is behind Bangalore and even Pune in respect of total population and also Chennai has about 25% less population than Bangalore. are the figures shown correct?

todscreen

June 19th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Samrat

June 19th, 2009, 01:32 PM

You go along the canal banks in Kolkata, all the railway tracks, dhapa, tiljala, topsia, tangra, khidirpur, garden reach, chitpur, and many more, where you will find slums with more than a million people(one million = 1,00,0000) in Kolkata proper let alone Dumdum, Howrah and other adjoining areas. There are more than a thousand slums in greater Kolkata.

I am not exagerating and nor am a Kolkata hater. Pl accept the reality unlike the comrades do.

todscreen

June 19th, 2009, 01:46 PM

arijeetb

June 19th, 2009, 03:01 PM

^^there are no slums in Greater Kolkata. Greater Kolkata comprises of suburban neighborhoods with suburban middle class homes. there are no poor people living there either. you have everything mixed up.

anyway...i am glad Kolkata is the richest city in the country as it rightfully should be.

Next time you are in India and in Kolkata get onto bridge no.4, step out and look left. You will only see slums as far your eyes can see. Ok, this is not greater Kolkata, but travel along the EM bypass up north till the point it meets VIP road and you can see shanties ( in some areas) along both sides. Per capita income is one thing and slums another, so these should not be mixed up.

The stark realities of Indian cities are pretty much similar, only the degree varies.

SarafIndian

June 19th, 2009, 08:31 PM

After some awesome updates from the skies by Sun & Tod, here are some from the ground level

La Vida Mall - located near CK block in Salt Lake city, this should open up anytime soon
photo cc arijeetb

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7393/lavidasaltlake.jpg

^^ http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/29052009.jpg

:cheers:

SarafIndian

June 19th, 2009, 08:33 PM

The new bridge near 8 No.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/15062009.jpg

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/15062009001.jpg

arijeetb

June 19th, 2009, 09:55 PM

Nice updates, Saraf:cheers:

todscreen

June 20th, 2009, 02:22 AM

saraf awesome work. where is that bridge located? New town?

yashchauhan

June 20th, 2009, 05:43 AM

Suncity

June 20th, 2009, 03:24 PM

I am surprised Kolkata is behind Bangalore and even Pune in respect of total population and also Chennai has about 25% less population than Bangalore. are the figures shown correct?

These are probably municipal city areas only. The problem starts when they try to extrapolate to "greater" areas when things are not defined properly. For example who knows exactly what is Greater Kolkata and how do you find statistics related to it?

Suncity

June 20th, 2009, 03:41 PM

thats nothing new...everyone knew that already...only now its established.

when I went to Kolkata, i have never seen any slums. there might have been a few living along the train tracks...but that was it.

There are plenty of slums in Kolkata and West Bengal

States:
Number of Census Towns reporting slum data/Total Population of census towns/Slum population - Census India 2001

Maharashtra - 62/33,624,960/10,644,605
Andhra Pradesh - 76/15,752,946 /5,149,272
West Bengal - 51/14,250,720/3,822,309
Tamil Nadu - 63/14,175,792 /2,530,289
Delhi - 14/10,979,341/2,025,890
Karnataka - 35/11,021,192/1,267,759

Cities - 2001 (several have expanded in area and pop since then)

Total Population/Slum population

Greater Mumbai - 11,914,398/5,823,510
Delhi Municipal Corp (Urban) - 9,817,439 /1,854,685
Kolkata - 4,580,544/1,490,811
Bangalore - 4,292,223/345,200
Chennai - 4,216,268/747,936
Hyderabad - 3,449,878/601,336

Suncity

June 20th, 2009, 03:43 PM

Hotel revamp trips on tenant, heritage hurdle- Company eyes End-2010 re-opening

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090620/jsp/calcutta/story_11128427.jsp

The revamped Great Eastern Hotel will open its doors in the last quarter of 2010, if there are no delays like the ones that have pushed back the early-2009 deadline.

“The main structure and the new block will be completed by the beginning of next year. Interior designing and other work will take some more time,” said Satya Roy Chowdhury, the resident manager of The Lalit Great Eastern, the new name of the hotel, spread across 2.3 acres in the BBD Bag area.

Construction of a building behind the heritage block, resistance from the employees’ union and eviction of around 60 tenants from the building that came up in 1950s (not a part of the heritage structure) and the front of the hotel are some of the reasons that delayed the revamp.

The leadership of Bharat Hotels could not envisage that laying the foundation of the new block would delay the project by eight months.

“The original building, being a heritage structure, could not be tampered with. Construction of the new block at the back became a problem for fear of damaging the original building. We hired the services of a Bombay-based company that used state-of-the-art technology for piling and laying the foundation without damaging the original structure,” said Chowdhury.

“The tenants on the ground floor of the heritage block and the building behind it agreed to vacate the premises after a lot of persuasion. The process took almost a year,” added an official of the hotel.

Negotiations and court cases are still on to remove two of the tenants.

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:02 AM

Hotel revamp trips on tenant, heritage hurdle- Company eyes End-2010 re-opening

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090620/jsp/calcutta/story_11128427.jsp

Damn those tenants and to hell with whoever suggested the new name. They should have retained the original. I saw work going on in the front facade, will post updates.

sidney_jec

June 22nd, 2009, 09:50 AM

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 03:32 PM

^^ was eagerly waiting for updates on the hotel..
not surprised though abt the new name..
all the Bharat hotel properties have been rechristined as The Lalit after the Late Lalit Suri the founder of the hotel group..
they may be trying to establish The Lalit as a brand akin to The Leela..

yes, they are probably doing two things, paying a tribute and building a brand. It appears surprising to us since it is a name unknown as on today. The Grand became the oberoi grand in the 1930s and it may have been surprising then as well. Will have to wait and see how this new 'brand' sells.

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 03:34 PM

saraf awesome work. where is that bridge located? New town?

this is the 2nd bridge that connects sectors 1,2 & 3 to the Salt lake bypass. The opening of the bridge will lead to quicker connectivity to Sector V, New town and the airport. The third ( and last) of the bridges will open in the next few months.

SarafIndian

June 22nd, 2009, 03:57 PM

Lalit Great Eastern doesn't sound good. However, I am interested more on the quality of the renovation.

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:06 PM

Some more U/C updates from the New Town region

Xtra Mall - across the road from Block by Block mall
photo cc arijeetb

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1737/xtramall.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:10 PM

Ecospace - lots of construction activity here:)
photo cc arijeetb

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/783/ecospace01.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:14 PM

Infospace - the pace of construction is slow from about a year back
photo cc arijeetb

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1334/infospace01.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:17 PM

A commercial building along the main artery
photo cc arijeetb

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/976/itpark01.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:19 PM

Sankalpa
photo cc arijeetb

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1139/sankalpa01.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:21 PM

Synthesis Business Park
photo cc arijeetb

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8344/synthesis.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:26 PM

Cranes at the Shristi project site
photo cc arijeetb

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/928/shristisite.jpg

arijeetb

June 22nd, 2009, 09:28 PM

Tata Cancer hospital
photo cc arijeetb

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3474/tatacancer01.jpg
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/9020/tatacancer02.jpg

Suncity

June 23rd, 2009, 01:35 AM

Great updates ArijeetB!

:cheers:

Suncity

June 23rd, 2009, 01:38 AM

Hotel to scale new heights
- Coming up: 500-plus rooms spread over 27 floors

Render - it looks like out of the Hiranandani-Hafeez factory.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/534/23zzleadbig.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/23zzleadbig.jpg/)

Rooms: 500-plus
Floors: 27, with two basements
Height: 350 feet
Covered area: 1.5 million square feet
Total project cost: Rs 1,500 crore-plus
Coming up, Calcutta’s largest star hotel.

Dwarfing the existing ITC Sonar Calcutta, the new “super-luxury” structure of Sonar II on the northern side will house seven multi-cuisine restaurants, retail showrooms, 24-hour coffee shop, banquet and more.

“It will be the largest hotel complex in Calcutta,” municipal commissioner Alapan Bandyopadhyay told Metro.

“It is coming up as a gift to the city of ITC’s international headquarters.”

ITC officials were tight-lipped about the timeline for the Bypass address, but the municipal commissioner revealed that the Calcutta Municipal Corporation had already taken up construction of a Rs 7 crore road on the western side of the proposed hotel, off the Bypass.

“It will serve both the ITC hotel complex as well as Milon Mela (the book fair ground),” said Bandyopadhyay.

The ITC East India hotel plan was sanctioned by the municipal building committee in August 2008. The company paid Rs 18 crore as sanction fees for 1.5 million square feet.

ITC chairman Y.C. Deveshwar is likely to unveil the full plan about the property to shareholders in the annual general meeting scheduled on July 24.

todscreen

June 23rd, 2009, 01:53 AM

^^you are too fast. i came here to post it but u got to it first.

sidney_jec

June 23rd, 2009, 08:19 AM

Samrat

June 23rd, 2009, 01:37 PM

Cranes at the Shristi project site
photo cc arijeetb

Arijeet, is this the site of "Westin Hotel" or what?

arijeetb

June 23rd, 2009, 03:00 PM

Arijeet, is this the site of "Westin Hotel" or what?

^^yes, if I understand Shristi intercontinental to be Westin towers.

arijeetb

June 23rd, 2009, 03:03 PM

Hotel to scale new heights
- Coming up: 500-plus rooms spread over 27 floors

[QUOTE]ITC officials were tight-lipped about the timeline for the Bypass address, but the municipal commissioner revealed that the Calcutta Municipal Corporation had already taken up construction of a Rs 7 crore road on the western side of the proposed hotel, off the Bypass.

^^yes, some leveling is going on for the proposed road on the west. This would also benefit the hotels by EMAAR group whenever that comes up.

arijeetb

June 23rd, 2009, 03:05 PM

ITC grand Central too looks somewhat like this..
isn't it??

Grand central is thinner and taller, but the design reminds us more of the hiranandani residential blocks. Personally not impressed with the design.

arijeetb

June 23rd, 2009, 07:35 PM

Great updates ArijeetB!

:cheers:

thanks Sun.:)

avishar

June 23rd, 2009, 09:06 PM

The design of the hotel although is nice, but it could have been something sleeker mirroring the design of the current ITC Sonar buildings.Although 350 feet=106m, now thats a biggie.

arijeetb

June 23rd, 2009, 09:44 PM

The Lalit Great Eastern - U/C
photo cc arijeetb

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9619/greateastern01.jpg

Suncity

June 24th, 2009, 06:00 AM

PS Srijan Tech Park
March 2009
copyright srijan website

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/2603/pssrijan1.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/i/pssrijan1.jpg/)

SarafIndian

June 24th, 2009, 08:35 AM

Nice updates from Arijeet. Those Newtown photos, Great Eastern photo are awesome. :banana:

Hotel to scale new heights
- Coming up: 500-plus rooms spread over 27 floors

Render - it looks like out of the Hiranandani-Hafeez factory.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/534/23zzleadbig.jpg

Look at that size. This is massive man. :nuts: The existing ITC looks tiny :cheers:

yashchauhan

June 24th, 2009, 09:58 AM

The Lalit Great Eastern - U/C
photo cc arijeetb

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9619/greateastern01.jpg

I looks more like it is under renovation!:nuts:

SarafIndian

June 24th, 2009, 10:02 AM

I looks more like it is under renovation!:nuts:

Yes it is under renovation. Btw, Great Eastren is among the oldest(165 years) hotels of India/Asia.

Future look

http://wikimapia.org/p/00/00/23/53/06_big.jpg

arijeetb

June 24th, 2009, 02:11 PM

Yes it is under renovation. Btw, Great Eastren is among the oldest(165 years) hotels of India/Asia.

Future look

http://wikimapia.org/p/00/00/23/53/06_big.jpg

^^saraf, thanks for reminding us of the future look:) Looks like only the front facade ( heritage block ) is being renovated. The section behind it is probably new

sidney_jec

June 24th, 2009, 04:27 PM

Grand central is thinner and taller, but the design reminds us more of the hiranandani residential blocks. Personally not impressed with the design.

may be an exact render whenever it comes up wud make it look gud..
i think its just the journos imagination and nothing else..
they (ITC) surely wud not ruin the b'ful architecture known to us as Sonar bangla..

amco_in

June 25th, 2009, 06:19 AM

MP Birla Group plans three hospitals.

The MP Birla Group intends to set up three new multi-speciality hospitals - one in Kolkata and two in Rajasthan.

Currently, the group is looking for 5-6 acre in Rajarhat for the Kolkata facility which is expected to have more than 200 beds. While it has sought land from the West Bengal government, the group is also exploring options to acquire land on its own.

Meanwhile, in Rajasthan two proposed hospitals are likely to come up in Jaipur and Chittorgarh. MP Birla has already acquired seven acre in Jaipur from the state government. According to sources, the Jaipur hospital is likely to have more than 300 beds and the group may invest around Rs 10-15 lakh per bed for these facilities.

The group plans to add 60 new beds by setting up a mother and child care department comprising maternity unit and a neonatal intensive care unit at its Belle Vue Clinic in Kolkata. There will be a 26-bed invasive cardiac unit with provision for Cath Lab and a dedicated cardiac operation theatre as well. The total investment on this expansion is estimated to be around Rs 20 crore.

todscreen

June 25th, 2009, 07:02 AM

stop building hospitals already.

what are they planning on doing? make kolkata the hospital capital of the world?

medical tourism is not the way to go...i don't want sick people coming to kolkata.

sidney_jec

June 25th, 2009, 07:34 AM

^^ u are the change u want to see..

sabya99

June 25th, 2009, 02:20 PM

stop building hospitals already.

what are they planning on doing? make kolkata the hospital capital of the world?

medical tourism is not the way to go...i don't want sick people coming to kolkata.
Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika reported a few weeks back that Emirates flights from Dubai have lot of Medico-tourists from middle east. Is CCU
that important a destination therapeutically? If it is so I will be really proud of my birth place!:)

Samrat

June 25th, 2009, 04:18 PM

I don't know about the medico tourists from middle east coming to Kolkata by Emirates flights but know that a considerable segment of the pax from Dhaka are medico tourists. If they don't come to Kolkata they will go to Singapore and Bangkok and it will be very difficult to sustain so many Dhaka-Kolkata flights per week which is the busiest route between any foreign city and Kolkata:)

HopePersists

June 26th, 2009, 06:17 AM

At a time when luxury car sales have dipped nationally, Kolkata is witnessing a reverse trend with more and more premium carmakers opening showrooms.

Before premium German brand BMW opened its first showroom in the city in May last year, its competitor Mercedes, managed to sell around 65 cars in 2007. Interestingly, in 2008, Mercedes managed to sell 80 cars, while BMW also sold 55 cars between May to December. “The market has indeed grown over the last few years, alomost doubling in 2008 over 2007. Moreover, around 50 per cent of last year sales of luxury brands has been achieved in the first quarter of the current fiscal”, said A Daga, director of Marks N Glix, that operates in the buying, selling and financing space of old luxury cars. Marks N Glix was originally in the car accessories business. It entered into the used car sales business in April 2008 seeing opportunity in the growing market. Around 50-60 used premium cars sell in Kolkata every year, the most sought after being the BMW 3-series.

Between January to May this year BMW has already sold 55 cars, and its only dealer in the region, OSL Prestige, is confident of selling another 120 cars during the year. Mercedes, in comparison, has sold lesser number of units. The company declined to share the sales figures. “While the East cannot be compared with the West or the North Indian markets in terms of size, it sure is growing at fast pace”, said a senior official of a Kolkata-based premium car dealership. In comparison, the downturn has hit these mature car markets, that is indicated in a 7.59 per cent dip in high-end car sales in India in May when the overall passenger car sales grew by 2.48 per cent.

According to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), in the first two months of the current financial year the sales of the high-end cars declined to 7,098 units from 7,149 units in the same period last year. In contrast, the Kolkata market had not shown signs of the downturn in 2009, primarily on account of the low base, insiders said.

Attracted by a lucrative market, another German premium car brand, Audi, is keen to open a showroom in the city within a couple of months even after its first deal with a local developer did not work out.

Audi recently launched its Q5 sports utility vehicle(SUV) that is available in eleven dealerships across India, but a Kolkata buyer now gets it transported from other cities. Its co-brands Volkswagen and Skoda are doing reasonably well in the region.

Volkswagen opened a Budge Budge Trunk Road outlet in March and has already booked 30 vehicles between March to May.

Volkswagen Kolkata, the dealership, now plans to open another showroom near the Eastern Metropolitan By-pass within the the third quarter of this fiscal. Skoda’s dealership, Jia Auto, informed that they were selling 35 cars per month on an average driven mainly by the demand for its hatchback, Fabia and the sedan, Laura. “These two cars account for 15-20 bookings a month”, said R Kothari, director of Jia Auto, the only dealership of the car brand in the region.

After the dealership started in June 2007, it witnessed a lull only once, during October to December last year, when it sold an average of 30 cars per month in comparison to 50 cars per month a year ago. Kothari added that sales had off late recovered from the downturn, and have gradually started picking up in the last three months.

Honda’s premium brand, the Accord, also saw a three-fold rise between January to May this year on a year-on-year basis.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kolkata-luxury-car-sales-buck-national-trend/362033/

HopePersists

June 26th, 2009, 06:22 AM

A part of the city’s growing fleet of old and polluting commercial vehicles is finally set to go off the road.

The first “concrete” roadmap for the phase-out of taxis more than 15 years old and their replacement with new ones was drawn up on Thursday with the consent of all parties involved — the state government, the vehicle operators and the banks.

Of the 37,000-odd taxis in the Calcutta Metropolitan Area — comprising the city and parts of the adjacent districts — around 7,600 are more than 15 years old. In the Calcutta Municipal Corporation area the tally stands at 6,500.

Motor vehicles director Shankar Pal, who chaired the tripartite meeting, said the “concrete plan” had taken care of all hurdles and urged taxi owners to apply for the replacement at the earliest.

State environment secretary M.L. Meena said: “This is a positive development. We hope other modes of vehicles will follow suit.”

Thursday’s meeting finalised the plan to replace each old taxi with a new one at a cost of Rs 3.96 lakh. The government will pay a subsidy of Rs 20,000, the manufacturer will pay Rs 45,000 for the old vehicle and around Rs 3.22 lakh will come as bank loan. The owner will pay the remaining Rs 9,000.

The taxi operators’ representatives, however, pointed out that the success of the move would hinge on the government ensuring prompt disbursement of bank loans.

The high court had fixed July 31 as the deadline for phase-out of all commercial vehicles more than 15 years old. Precious little has been done to implement the ban on old autorickshaws, buses and goods carriers.

Pal asked representatives of the five taxi associations present at the meeting to keep the deadline in mind while applying for replacement but government sources ruled out any possibility of meeting the July 31 target.

“We want to phase out some vehicles before that date and then approach the court for an extension of the deadline,” said an official in the transport department.

Bimal Guha, the secretary of Bengal Taxi Association, which controls 60 per cent of the taxis, said replacement of all 7,600 vehicles would take at least six months if there was no further delay.

“The government is to blame for the delay. It should report the ground situation to the court and plead for a six-month extension of the deadline,” said Guha.

Probir Das Mahapatra of Progressive Taximen’s Union and Tarak Barik of Calcutta Taxi Association asserted that the move would fall through unless the government ensured that banks disbursed loans fast.

A Union Bank of India representative who attended the meeting said the loan would have to be repaid within five years at an interest rate of 11.25 per cent (approximately).

Under the replacement scheme, an Ambassador taxi could also be exchanged for a Maruti WagonR, Maruti Omni or Tata Indigo. Pradip Jain of RD Motors, the city-based distributor of Tata Motors, said the discount on replacing an old Ambassador with an Indigo would be Rs 50,000.

Regional Transport Authority secretary Ujjwal Sengupta said the government would consider the unions’ demand to waive the temporary registration fee.

Environmentalist Subhas Dutta said the move, if successful, would put pressure on the government to enforce the ban on other polluting vehicles.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090626/jsp/calcutta/story_11159116.jsp

SarafIndian

June 26th, 2009, 08:50 AM

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kolkata-luxury-car-sales-buck-national-trend/362033/

Ya, almost everyday I see new Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volkswogan. Good to see. :) Well, I am more interested to see some good roads than those expensive cars on the bad roads.

fred_the_cute_guy

June 29th, 2009, 04:56 AM

Ya, almost everyday I see new Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volkswogan. Good to see. :) Well, I am more interested to see some good roads than those expensive cars on the bad roads.

Thanks to the tram track reservation removal (concretization) the roads have sen a sea-change over the last 5-6 years. This has been further improved by the mastic asphalt laying.

Many city roads are still to be improved - but I still suppose in Kolakta we see a better average quality of inner roads in terms of smoothness etc compared to almost every other Indian metro - which is not bad. The main roads need a lot of improvement though.

What would be interestnig is to see the way that New Town Rajarhat grows - simply because of the fact that this has every opportunity to build wide, solid outer and inner roads, applying modern technogy. And it would also be of interest to improve the quality of and if possible the width of many of the suburban Kolkata roads.
_________________________
Infrared Sauna (http://www.cwglive.com/lifestyle/infraredsauna/FarInfraredSauna.php)

arijeetb

June 30th, 2009, 07:19 PM

Thanks to the tram track reservation removal (concretization) the roads have sen a sea-change over the last 5-6 years. This has been further improved by the mastic asphalt laying.

Many city roads are still to be improved - but I still suppose in Kolakta we see a better average quality of inner roads in terms of smoothness etc compared to almost every other Indian metro - which is not bad. The main roads need a lot of improvement though.

What would be interestnig is to see the way that New Town Rajarhat grows - simply because of the fact that this has every opportunity to build wide, solid outer and inner roads, applying modern technogy. And it would also be of interest to improve the quality of and if possible the width of many of the suburban Kolkata roads.
_________________________
Infrared Sauna (http://www.cwglive.com/lifestyle/infraredsauna/FarInfraredSauna.php)

yes, almost all main roads in KMA have a cover of asphalt. When one does the laying, they need to take care of the layer beneath it. Though asphalted roads seldom crack, sometimes they become uneven over time.

arijeetb

June 30th, 2009, 07:21 PM

arijeetb

June 30th, 2009, 07:26 PM

Godrej Waterside
photo cc arijeetb

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8805/waterside02.jpg

Rear view Tower 2 - G+17
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3294/waterside03.jpg

SarafIndian

June 30th, 2009, 07:47 PM

This looks awesome. :banana:

Godrej Waterside
photo cc arijeetb

Rear view Tower 2 - G+17
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3294/waterside03.jpg

todscreen

July 1st, 2009, 03:54 AM

Godrej Waterside
photo cc arijeetb

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8805/waterside02.jpg

Rear view Tower 2 - G+17
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3294/waterside03.jpg

Godrej Waterside Two looks humongous.

todscreen

July 1st, 2009, 03:58 AM

Right in the heart of Sector V, we have 6-7 U/C buildings each of about 10-12 floors ( all having their entrances facing each other) and seperated by a single lane road U/C :bash:

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5357/skyline04.jpg

do you think the officials did that for a reason. maybe they wanted to create a common pavillion in between leading to a mid size central square.

Most american cities have a public square in their down town areas where all the buses come in.

arijeetb

July 1st, 2009, 05:15 AM

do you think the officials did that for a reason. maybe they wanted to create a common pavillion in between leading to a mid size central square.

Most american cities have a public square in their down town areas where all the buses come in.

^^I see what you mean. Sector V has parallel and perpendicular roads like all downtown areas however the roads are too narrow and presently dug up for all kinds of work.

Once the metro comes to Sector V, we can expect to see a large auto stand ( this spot is ~.75km from the Sector V station) in this road adding further to the chaos. The planning for Sector V should ideally have been on the lines of the other sectors 1, 2 &3.

arijeetb

July 1st, 2009, 08:17 PM

Kobe Steel to launch in India (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Indl-Goods--Svs/Steel/Kobe-Steel-to-launch-in-India/articleshow/4724545.cms)

KOLKATA: Japanese steel major, the $21.7 billion Kobe Steel, Ltd, has decided set up a subsidiary in Kolkata to market its steel production

machinery in India. This makes it the fourth global steel major to establish a base in India, following Posco, ArcelorMittal and SinoSteel.

Kobe Steel will hold 90% equity in the new company, Kobelco Machinery India Private Limited (KMI), while trading firm Shinsho Corporation, a Kobe Steel affiliate, will hold the remaining 10%. KMI is the first unit in India in which Kobe Steel, Ltd. will directly hold equity share.

"Most new steel projects are concentrated in the eastern part of India along the Bay of Bengal," KMI managing director Yutaka Nakamoto said. "We selected Kolkata because of its excellent location," he said.

The new company will have an equity base of Rs 40 lakh. It will sell steel rolling mills, continuous casters, non-ferrous rolling mills and presses. More sgnificant, KMI will also be the scouting for opportunities to extend its activities into steel manufacturing at a later stage.

Till date, Kobe Steel's heavy machinery department, in its machinery & engineering company has marketed steel production machinery primarily in Japan. Realising the potential of India's growing market, Kobe Steel decided to establish a marketing office in Kolkata, from where it will mainly market its steel bar rolling mills and wire rod rolling mills in India.

India's steel production has risen dramatically in recent years. Though it has slowed a bit due to global economic crisis, it still continues to grow. Apparent steel use in India reached 52.6 million tonnes (mt) in 2008 and is estimated to rise to 53.5 mt, according to the World Steel Association.

Kobe Steel which is is Japan's top supplier of steel bar rolling mills.supplies steel bar rolling mills and wire rod mills, continuous casters etc, with annual heavy machinery sales amounting to around 10 billion yen.

arijeetb

July 2nd, 2009, 12:20 AM

Road planned to ease Bypass load (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090702/jsp/calcutta/story_11152770.jsp)

A 3.7-km road skirting the Bypass is being planned to address the needs of the people on the eastern fringes which is witnessing a spurt in development.

The four-lane road will branch off the Bypass at the Chowbhaga crossing, near the intersection of the Prince Anwar Shah connector and the Bypass, and extend up to Basanti Road.

The Rs 34-crore project will be developed on a public-private partnership by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation, Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority and a host of private parties, including the Heritage and Shrachi groups. “Work would start soon. It would take at least a year to make the road ready,” said a CMDA official.

“We have already paid Rs 1 crore to the CMC and offered to contribute another Rs 8.5 crore. The road will be a key link between Garia and Rajarhat, via Basanti Road. Within a few years, several projects are set to come up on vacant plots dotting the stretch,” said S.K. Todi of the Shrachi group.

Among the projects coming up along the stretch are a “high-end” housing estate to be built by the Todis, two three-star hotels and a research centre. The Chowbhaga-Basanti Road link will also provide a new access to Kasba Industrial Complex which can now be reached only from the Bypass.

“We have taken up the project as part of the urban development scheme. The road is badly needed as connectivity in the interiors of the eastern fringes is poor,” said mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.

It has been decided that the stretch between Chowbhaga and Heritage School would be developed by the civic authorities and work on the rest, which would involve building a bridge across Pocha Khal, would be supervised by the CMDA.

With the Ruby crossing emerging as a high traffic-load point and vehicular count on the Bypass rising almost by the day, officials hope the proposed four-lane road would come as a relief for airport or Rajarhat-bound vehicles from Prince Anwar Shah Road and Garia.

“The road would not only provide these vehicles a route to bypass the Bypass load but would bring about greater utilisation of Basanti Road. For those bound for airport or Rajarhat, the new link would be a convenient alternative to the mess at the Ruby rotary,”said a senior official of the CMDA.

Samrat

July 3rd, 2009, 10:07 AM

Financial Chronicle
03.07.2009

Careers Opportunities
TechM BPO to hire 2,000 for Kolkata unit

Tech Mahindra’s business process outsourcing arm is looking to hire around 2,000 employees over the next 3-4 months as the company has recently signed a few deals.
“The BPO arm contributes to around 5-7 per cent of Tech Mahindra’s total revenues. We target to reach 10 per cent of the total revenues in the next 18 months,” said S V Sriram, head of BPO operations, Tech Mahindra BPO. The firm will hire mostly in its new Kolkata facility.
Tech Mahi-ndra has over 4,000 employees at the moment spread over four other centres in Noida, Pune, Chandigarh and Chennai. The company, which primarily services the telecom sector, is not looking to diversify its business because of a prob-able future merger with Mahindra Satyam’s BPO, which may happen after 6-8 quarters, said Sriram.
When asked if the Satyam BPO’s employees in telecom vertical would be taken into Tech Mahindra’s BPO, Sriram said the company does not have any such plan in the immediate future. “Except for a few top-level changes at the entity level, there hasn’t been any other change.”
TechM’s BPO gets around 80 per cent of its revenues from customers who have adopted transa-ctions-based pricing model. Besides BT, the company has three other customers in Europe, two customers in North America and four domestic customers.
“BPO sector is recovering faster than the IT sector,” said Sriram. “The deal pipeline looks healthy. We closed two large deals this quarter, one from a first-time outsourcer

SarafIndian

July 3rd, 2009, 06:43 PM

Countries one of the biggest township projects opens its door. :banana:

Source: Times of India
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/Ad0010811.png

avishar

July 3rd, 2009, 11:27 PM

They have been doing things pretty quietly havnt they?Great to see the International City finally throwing open its door.I guess after DLF pulled out of the Dankuni township project this will be Howrah's modern township project for sometime at least.

SarafIndian

July 4th, 2009, 08:29 PM

Photo cc SarafIndian

Don't know the name of the project. Near ITC Sonar Bangla
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01488.jpg

IndiansUnite

July 5th, 2009, 03:29 AM

Commercial tower designed by HC for Diamond group:

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/2720/18240509.jpg

todscreen

July 5th, 2009, 06:23 AM

^^thats a no no.

yashchauhan

July 5th, 2009, 07:56 AM

Hafeez contractor is going mad these days....look at his propsals in Gurgaon and hyderabad!

SarafIndian

July 5th, 2009, 10:54 AM

Commercial tower designed by HC for Diamond group:

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/2720/18240509.jpg

It looks different. Interesting. :)

SarafIndian

July 5th, 2009, 09:12 PM

Photo cc SarafIndian

Wipro fyover update
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01494.jpg

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01496.jpg

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01497.jpg

Third bridge over the canal comes here.
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01499.jpg

arijeetb

July 7th, 2009, 01:13 PM

Photo cc SarafIndian

Don't know the name of the project. Near ITC Sonar Bangla
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01488.jpg

^^Ideal Lakeview

Suncity

July 8th, 2009, 02:32 AM

arijeetb

July 8th, 2009, 08:07 PM

City projects on track
Land Hurdles Stall Two Key Projects In North 24-Pargana
Source: Times Epaper
Kolkata: At a time when several projects in the state have taken a back seat due to land acquisition problems, here is some good news for the city.
The five major projects slotted for the city are very much alive. These include the East-West Metro, the Light Rail Transit System (LRTS), the much-touted BBD Bag rejuvenation project and the two flyovers — the one from Parama Island to Park Circus and the other over the Vivekananda Road. Of the five, the government has already started work on the East-West Metro that will connect Howrah with Sector V. Work has started from the Salt Lake end. It will also start work on the rest soon.
The state government recently got a major boost after the Centre approved the two flyover projects. While the Parama Island-Park Circus flyover would cost Rs 291 crore, the Vivekananda Road flyover would cost Rs 153 crore. Both the flyovers would be constructed by KMDA.
However, it is the two other major projects, the LRTS and the BBD Bag rejuvenation projects, which are giving the government hiccups. Though chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee himself laid the foundation stone for LRTS before the Lok Sabha polls, work is yet to start. The state government has already signed the MoU with Srei and selected Amex Corporation to provide the technological support, but it is not yet certain when the project will actually kick off. The Delhi-based Consulting Engineering Services (CES) has been entrusted to prepare the detail project report (DPR) for the project.
The BBD Bag rejuvenation project is also in the pipeline. Efforts are on to get funding from foreign agencies and the Centre’s own JNNURM fund. This apart, the PWD is already working on the parkomat project at Laldighi, with amends in the original design.
However, state officials are in a spot after reverses in the elections. In fact, Rajarhat-Gopalpur Municipality in North 24-Parganas — the only Left-ruled municipality that managed to retain the civic body — had announced just after the results of the Lok Sabha polls that it would not issue any land acquisition notice within its jurisdiction area without the landowners’ consent. As a result, the much-hyped truck terminal-cum-logistics hub at Rajarhat’s Ganti village has been put on the back burner. The IT projects proposed to be set up in the fringes of Rajarhat with global funding have suffered the same fate.
THE FIVE CITY PROJECTS
1. EAST-WEST METRO
* Work has already started at the Salt Lake end
2. PARAMA ISLAND-PARK CIRCUS FLYOVER
* KMDA will construct the flyover to ease out traffic on the Park Circus connector
3. VIVEKANANDA ROAD FLYOVER
* KMDA will construct the flyover. The main purpose is to ease out traffic on Vivekananda Road by connecting Howrah with Girish Park
4. LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM
* Government yet to start work. The alignment will be from Joka to Barrackpore
5. BBD BAG REJUVENATION
* Government yet to start work. The government is planning to identify sources of funding
PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE LAND ACQUISITION
* Truck terminal-cum-logistics hub at Rajarhat
* IT hub at Rajarhat
Government is yet to decide when these projects will start

arijeetb

July 8th, 2009, 08:12 PM

August debut for modern bus fleet

Volvo ultra low floor AC buses - 60
Tata ultra low floor AC buses - 240
Ashok Leyland and Tata semi ultra low floor buses - non AC - 900

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090708/jsp/calcutta/story_11207201.jsp

^^ Since it is impossible to phase out any buses on 31st July we are looking at a situation that both these new ones and the old ones would run together for months.

Also the report cites that they will be owned by WBSTC, so does this mean the other bus companies such as CTC & private and mini buses get nothing?

avishar

July 9th, 2009, 07:38 AM

The volvo buses in bangalore are very comfortable.Good to see that they are going to introduced in kolkata also.Any news as to what they going to price the tickets?I hope they wont set an exorbitant price and discourage the public to use to use them.

sidney_jec

July 9th, 2009, 08:14 AM

^^ Since it is impossible to phase out any buses on 31st July we are looking at a situation that both these new ones and the old ones would run together for months.

Also the report cites that they will be owned by WBSTC, so does this mean the other bus companies such as CTC & private and mini buses get nothing?

CTC not getting any new buses can come as a surprise as both are govt run agencies and its the govt which is procuring the buses..
but why wud pvt bus operators get those???i havent heard anywhere that the govt has purchased buses for the private operators..:ohno:

sidney_jec

July 9th, 2009, 03:57 PM

BMW X6 launched in Kolkata

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshowpics/4758872.cms

arijeetb

July 9th, 2009, 04:20 PM

CTC not getting any new buses can come as a surprise as both are govt run agencies and its the govt which is procuring the buses..
but why wud pvt bus operators get those???i havent heard anywhere that the govt has purchased buses for the private operators..:ohno:

^^Maybe i misunderstood/misread. It is concerning that private operators have not done any thinking on how they will procure the new buses

sidney_jec

July 9th, 2009, 04:39 PM

sidney_jec

July 9th, 2009, 04:40 PM

^^Maybe i misunderstood/misread. It is concerning that private operators have not done any thinking on how they will procure the new buses

dont worry we are all humans here :)

fred_the_cute_guy

July 10th, 2009, 07:38 AM

City projects on track
Land Hurdles Stall Two Key Projects In North 24-Pargana
Source: Times Epaper
<SNIP></SNIP>
The five major projects slotted for the city are very much alive. These include the East-West Metro, the Light Rail Transit System (LRTS), the much-touted BBD Bag rejuvenation project and the two flyovers — the one from Parama Island to Park Circus and the other over the Vivekananda Road. Of the five, the government has already started work on the East-West Metro that will connect Howrah with Sector V. Work has started from the Salt Lake end. It will also start work on the rest soon.
The state government recently got a major boost after the Centre approved the two flyover projects. While the Parama Island-Park Circus flyover would cost Rs 291 crore, the Vivekananda Road flyover would cost Rs 153 crore. Both the flyovers would be constructed by KMDA.
However, it is the two other major projects, the LRTS and the BBD Bag rejuvenation projects, which are giving the government hiccups.

Didn't spot this earlier - surely this report contradicts itself on the LRTS front! Thanks to our great forum members we know the EW metro report part is true. So not throwing the report away, but the question marks remain.

Suncity

July 12th, 2009, 10:08 PM

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

Please vote for a new moderator - the contest is hotting up

Voting closes July 16, 2009.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=909566

Vegchop

July 13th, 2009, 02:47 AM

Few pics from Sankalpa Google group.
http://groups.google.com/group/sankalpa-project?hl=en&pli=1

Sankalpa
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_N0ccx1yBPHc/SlqBpbDRnhI/AAAAAAAAAPM/wNQksLFvzKQ/s512/sankalpa_july09.JPG

Unitech & Rosedale rising....correct me.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_N0ccx1yBPHc/SlqBphq-FdI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/8n_J-l2XUW0/s512/rajarhat_aa3_july09.JPG

HomeDepot Town
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_N0ccx1yBPHc/SlqBpm9G4CI/AAAAAAAAAPU/KVj0R8E3bUM/s512/hometown_july09.JPG

From Sankalpa, Bengal Greenfield risen.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_N0ccx1yBPHc/SlqD4PR0ECI/AAAAAAAAAPk/opkTBIKWJEI/s512/Bengal_greenfield_july09.JPG

sidney_jec

July 13th, 2009, 07:18 AM

^^great pics there..
nice to have u back..
dint see u here for a while now..

arijeetb

July 13th, 2009, 07:27 AM

vegchop, nice updates. Once the sankalpa high rises are complete a view of the entire skyline surrounding uniworld city can be seen

todscreen

July 13th, 2009, 08:21 AM

hometown was turning up to be such a nice mall..but they killed it with their bright orange small banners everywhere. a large full breadth banner in 1 or 2 places would have been ok.

sidney_jec

July 15th, 2009, 09:20 AM

Source: TOI Epaper

Paroma Island flyover work to begin in Oct
Ajanta Chakraborty | TNN

Kolkata: Finally, here’s something for Kolkatans to look forward to. Construction of the Park Circus-Paroma Island flyover will begin in October. Once it takes shape, one could zip through Paroma Island to the Alipore zoo in just about 10 minutes.
In June 2007, the Union urban development ministry had shot down the project. Then, the Rs 291-crore project proposal, submitted to the Centre ages ago, was sanctioned on January 22 this year after the state government finally managed to submit the mandatory integrated transport master plan that has to precede the detailed project report.
Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) — the executing agency for the flyover project — has swung into action ever since. For, this would be the only happening infrastructure project for the city after the Ultadanga flyover. KMDA has short-listed 12 infrastructure developers, including the Hyderabad-based IVRCL Infrastructures and Projects Limited, engineering giant Larsen & Toubro, Tantia Construction Company and Mackintosh Burn.
By next month, KMDA intends selecting constructors from the 12 short-listed companies after going through the financial bids. “Once the final selection is over, we shall ask the construction company to begin work in October,” said P R Baviskar, chief executive officer of KMDA.
“The flyover would be our pride as it will be the second in the country after the Mumbai sea link. In fact, the Park Circus-Paroma flyover with a sprawling length of 4.3 km should actually be called an elevated road instead of a flyover because of the sheer length of it,” he said.
Scheduled to be completed in 2011, the flyover will ease the east-and-airport-bound traffic from the heart of the city. Once completed, one could zip past the chaos at the Park Circus No. 4 connector, especially after the city’s eastward expansion, which has brought traffic to a saturation point at Park Circus.
Traffic becomes especially chaotic when the Milan Mela ground — now the venue for the Kolkata Book Fair and other popular fairs — is thrown open. Also, traffic from the Gariahat flyover in the south and the AJC Bose Road flyover from the west meets at Park Circus, making matters worse.
The new flyover would link the AJC Bose Road flyover with the Chingrihata flyover to provide uninterrupted access to the airport through the Rajarhat Expressway.

SarafIndian

July 15th, 2009, 08:50 PM

Source: TOI Epaper

Good news. We are eagerly waiting for this flyover.

SarafIndian

July 15th, 2009, 08:53 PM

Photo cc Pooja Pix

On Bypass
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/3723245178_47177a54de_b.jpg

todscreen

July 15th, 2009, 11:26 PM

Source: TOI Epaper

but why? i like the paroma island roundabout. it was good looking. the flyover will kill that look. they should focus more on interchanges between major routes like EM bypass and airport road.

arijeetb

July 16th, 2009, 06:45 AM

but why? i like the paroma island roundabout. it was good looking. the flyover will kill that look. they should focus more on interchanges between major routes like EM bypass and airport road.

There are three major pain points between Park circus and Parama island i.e the 5 point crossing, bridge no.4 and topsia crossing. The flyover becomes of paramount importance given that it is in the direction of the growth corridor of the city.

The larger plan should be provide relatively signal free access from the CBD ( Park Street/Chowringhee) to the airport via New Town.

Cities such as Bangalore are in a big way into this , in a year from now one can travel relatively signal free from MG Road to the intl airpot

arijeetb

July 16th, 2009, 07:18 PM

Tata Communications opens internet data centre in Kolkata (http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/624971/Business/4/20/4)

Kolkata , July 16 Tata Communications today opened its third party tier III internet data centre here, the first in the eastern region.

"The latest addition to Tata Communications rollout out of world class IDC infrastructure will enable customer access to reliable, secure data centres which are connected to our tier-I India and global network backbone,"a company statement said.
"The eastern India market is a relatively untapped market and we hope to act as an enabler for attractive investment services," Tata Communications DCS global managed solutions Vice President Abid Qadiri said.
The company did not reveal the investment, but said it was part of the company&aposs USD 2 billion investment plan over the next 3 years.

Civitas

July 17th, 2009, 07:59 AM

Dear Forumers, this is my last post and visit here.
I remember few years back someone asked here how long we want to visit skyscrapercity. Most of the people answered that till the day India is developed or they are hopeless about India. Later one already triggered to my mind. I am never so optimistic about India, specially when rival China is so ahead that it may crush India any day once they have enough diplomatic support. But, I am almost certain about West Bengal/Kolkata's future. It is very very bleak. I am not providing any more reasons here. It will never end, in fact.
So, I have decided not to waste my time spending here and building up hope that will never realize.

Here are some quote on Kolkata from some famous people, barring the last one :-) I know these are very disturbing, many of you will be furious, delete this post, and ban me though not required, but this is what it is.

Ex. Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, termed it as "dying city".
Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul had labeled it "the most depressing of all cities".
French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss called it "the showcase of all that we would hate in the world".
To Gunter Grass it seemed "a heap of shit released by God".
I say "it is huge sized slum. Habitat of uneducated, uncivilized, undisciplined people"

Cheers and be happy, always !!

Samrat

July 17th, 2009, 10:53 AM

HopePersists

July 17th, 2009, 11:50 AM

Samrat you are right that Civitas only shows how immature and how impatient he is. Well about development of India, India and China are the countries which defeated the storm of Economic crisis originating from the most developed nations. Then why should we be hopeless about it's progress. We know it's easy to dream theoretically, but too difficult to achieve practically. But that should never make us depressed. That's how the world goes. Just take the example of Tata Nano. Tata dreamed 5 yrs back about Nano and thought he would reach the people in 3 yrs but while doing it practically it took him 5 long yrs to hand over the first key of Nano. :)

sidney_jec

July 17th, 2009, 11:52 AM

arijeetb

July 17th, 2009, 12:17 PM

sabya99

July 17th, 2009, 02:21 PM

Kolkata is a mini India. All the bad and good things India has to offer are packed in a tiny metropolitan area. It has high tech minds and extremely backward and introvert minds also. One has to pick up what kind of people he wants to hang arround. It is true recent retrograte political developments have angered many professionals including myself but you can not blame the entire population of Kolkata or this forum for that. I hope good souls will prevail, sanity will come back and bengali " bhadrakol" will some day learn to live in 21st century world. Till then please do not blame the forum!Your comments are always wellcome.:)

abhishek_sadhya

July 17th, 2009, 10:31 PM

Hi everybody, though i have registered myself in skyscrapercity wayback in 2007 i did not post anything, but i followed this thread everyday and i appreciate the efforts of each of you guys. I do take pics of development in and around the City, and some of my pics are already shared in this forum by others.

Suncity: You Rock.

The 2 towers of Fort Oasis and PS Pallazo has come up pretty well. I took some pics today, but unable to post it, as i dont know how to.

arijeetb

July 19th, 2009, 02:35 PM

Merlin Acropolis - the stadium is seen taking shape
photo cc arijeetb

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1726/acropolis01l.jpg

sidney_jec

July 20th, 2009, 10:56 AM

Telegraph (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090720/jsp/business/story_11258566.jsp)

Bengal fails to find developer for tech hub
SOUNAK MITRA

Calcutta, July 19: The fate of the proposed Rs 5,000-crore IT township at Kalyani hangs in balance.

“We are yet to get any interested private company to execute the project till date,” state IT minister Debesh Das told The Telegraph on the sidelines of a programme organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (eastern regional council).

The state plans to set up the IT township spread over 100 acres at Kalyani in the public-private-partnership model.

West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation Ltd (Webel) will partner the private entity.

Webel had floated a tender on February 10 inviting expressions of interest (EoIs) from private partners to execute the project, where it mentioned that the department will issue the “letters of acceptance” on April 30.

However, the state IT department had extended the date for the submission of the EoIs to July 10.

“We extended the date expecting that the Union budget would offer some sops to such projects. But nothing was there in the budget,” Das said.

Even private companies, who showed interest in the project, confirmed that they also expected sops from the government, he added.

On September 12 last year, Webel had floated a tender inviting EoIs for an IT special economic zone at Kalyani, to be developed in the public-private-partnership model. But, the project got shelved.

Webel came out with a fresh tender on February 10, tweaking the nature of the project from an IT SEZ to an IT township.

Earlier, Webel said three firms — Mahindra Lifespace, Paharpur Cooling Towers and the K. Raheja Group — had shown interest in the project.

However, sources said Paharpur Cooling Towers was the only company which expressed interest and requested some tweaks in the terms and conditions. “We are trying to get a private partner and the fate of the Kalyani project is yet to be decided,” Das said. The department will take a final call on this soon, he said.

Satyam land issue

Das said his department would request Tech Mahindra to use the 2.77 acres that had been allotted to Satyam at Sector V in Salt Lake a few years back. Tech Mahindra is the new owner of Satyam.

SarafIndian

July 20th, 2009, 07:54 PM

Ultadanga flyover u/c. Sorry for bad quality pics.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01563.jpg

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01562.jpg

Suncity

July 21st, 2009, 04:01 AM

The 2 towers of Fort Oasis and PS Pallazo has come up pretty well. I took some pics today, but unable to post it, as i dont know how to.

Welcome on board.

Here's how to post images in this forum:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=600498

BTW for those who have not seen Abhishek's fantastic Kolkata photos here is the link to his Kolkata gallery

http://picasaweb.google.com/abhishek.sadhya/CityOfJOYCalcuttaKolkataThruMyEyes

photo copyright Abhishek Sadhya

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9329/abhisheksadhyakolkata.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/abhisheksadhyakolkata.jpg/)

Hindustani

July 21st, 2009, 07:20 AM

^^

Sun

thanks for the picasaweb link. those are some real nice images.

Abhishek

welcome to SSC India forum. You got some nice shots there. keep clicking it away. thanks.

SarafIndian

July 22nd, 2009, 07:36 PM

Welcome on board.

Here's how to post images in this forum:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=600498

BTW for those who have not seen Abhishek's fantastic Kolkata photos here is the link to his Kolkata gallery

http://picasaweb.google.com/abhishek.sadhya/CityOfJOYCalcuttaKolkataThruMyEyes

photo copyright Abhishek Sadhya

Thats great. Those are great photos by Abhishek. I think we have already posted many photos from his picasa album. It will be great if we get regular updates from him. :cheers:

@Abhishek,

Thanks dude. Please keep posting. :)

sidney_jec

July 24th, 2009, 09:10 AM

Source: TOI EPaper

Mega housing plans on track
DLF & Tata Moving Ahead With Rajarhat Projects
Ajanta Chakraborty | TNN

Kolkata: Full stop to Nano. Question mark over Telcon. But no such flutters for Eden Court or New Town Heights.
Brand Tata and Brand DLF are shifting gears over their mega housing projects at Rajarhat despite the political upheaval looming over Brand Bengal. It’s clear that chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s most valued brands have left Singur and Dankuni well behind them and are ready to begin all over again. Both are currently working overtime on their condominiums at New Town.
Eden Court is Tata Housing’s major endeavour into the eastern market and New Town Heights is DLF’s prized project — also at Rajarhat. Both projects had come under a cloud after the Nano debacle last October and DLF’s subsequent decision to pull out of the 4,840-acre Dankuni township project.
“Ratan Tata has kept his word. He had promised that none of his other projects in West Bengal would face the consequences of the Nano pullout. And now, the much-awaited Eden Court is ready to take off,” said an official of Hidco, the keepers of the Rajarhat township. Ditto for DLF, which opted out of the Rs 40,000-crore Dankuni project over land issues. Downturn was the other big reason. Not for New Town Heights, though. Thankfully, even Tata Housing (a Tata group firm in which Tata Sons holds 97.5 %) hasn’t allowed itself to be bogged down by downturn blues.
While DLF is steadily progressing towards erecting its nine towers, Tatas are about to start their construction. In fact, their site at Action Area II has been out of bounds to the media, fearing political unrest. “The local Trinamool Congress has been creating problems for some projects in and around Rajarhat. Post Singur, the Tatas have been weary of any untoward publicity,” said Vinod Dan, a local developer.
But quietly and steadily, over the last month, the 200-odd flats of Tower I have been a complete sellout. “We couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out for our Rajarhat project,” said Brotin Banerjee, managing director, Tata Housing, which has been most successful in its Shubh Griha project launched in Mumbai.
Having sold all 1,500 apartments, the low-cost project like Shubh Griha, widely applauded as a “Nano” in the housing sector had offered 283 sq ft for Rs 3.9 lakh.
But Tata’s footprint in West Bengal’s realty market is essentially premium and a 1,000-square feet flat at Eden Court would cost about Rs 30 lakh. The bigger spaces could scale to Rs 65 lakh.
Despite the downturn, Tata Housing, already flooded with applications (precisely, 67 per flat) has decided to draw a lottery to choose its clients for Tower II apartments beginning next week.
Buyers, 15 % of whom comprise NRIs, are extremely keen about the Tata brand because the towers have a strong green accent about them. Said Banerjee: “All the flats are sustainable green buildings certified by the Indian Green Buildings Council (IGBC). The complex will have swimming pools, playgrounds and everything that comes with a modern set-up. But the unique aspect will be the huge, huge green space enveloping the concrete structures.”
The craze for the brand showed when — despite the economic slump — Eden Court increased prices of its residential units to Rs 2,900 per square feet from the staring price of Rs 2,750 a square feet. Spread over 50 acres, Eden Court is a combination of residential and retail. The first phase, though, comprises the residential project and will be complete three years from now.
DLF, on the other hand, will be ready to hand over its flats by 2010. Said Vikas Kumar, assistant manager for the New Town Heights project: “We have sold out most of the 800-odd flats.”
The condominium offers nine impressive towers offering two, three and four bedroom apartments spread over 15 acres in various configurations. Designed by Hafeez Contractor, New Town Heights boasts of badminton, squash and tennis courts and a host of other amenities like retail, multi-facility club and a primary healthcare and diagnostic centre.
Trinamool leaders have decided to desist from “untoward” movements. Arabul Islam, party leader from Rajarhat, vouches for that: “We shall go by Mamata Banerjee’s instructions at every step.”

todscreen

July 24th, 2009, 09:31 AM

wow, news casting of projects in New Town is out of bounds. I am glad that the government kept those media outlets out of this place...they always shouted stuff out which would make the public take notice which in turn would make the TMC aware and they will go about stalling progress.

Good Smart Government. Awesome WB.

SarafIndian

July 24th, 2009, 08:44 PM

The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata to reopen by October 2010

Friday, July 24, 2009, 13:00 Hrs [IST]
By PT Staff | Mumbai

Lalit Group’s, The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata is expected to re-launch with a new look. The five-star heritage hotel is scheduled to open by October 2010. This 165-year-old hotel, which was commissioned in 1840, is known as the ‘Jewel of the East’. It will host modern facilities including a health club, a mall and a swimming pool.

The recent economic downturn has caused the cost of the renovation to shoot up from Rs 120 Crore to Rs 250-300 Crore. After renovation, Great Eastern will house a huge indoor conference hall and the number of rooms will go up from 213 to 250. In Phase I, 150 rooms will be thrown open for customers with banquets and other facilities. The remaining 100 rooms will be ready for use in Phase II.

http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=5652&sid=1

arijeetb

July 24th, 2009, 09:43 PM

SarafIndian

July 25th, 2009, 08:24 PM

Photo cc SarafIndian

Globesyn U/C
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01576.jpg

arijeetb

July 25th, 2009, 10:15 PM

Photo cc SarafIndian

Globesyn U/C
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/DSC01576.jpg

^^saraf, is this the multi level car park U/C?

SarafIndian

July 25th, 2009, 10:35 PM

^^saraf, is this the multi level car park U/C?

Probably. Or may be Globesyn Business School(?).

arijeetb

July 26th, 2009, 08:47 PM

Godrej Simoco ( next to Globysn)
photo cc arijeetb

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3901/godrejsimoco01.jpg

Render
cc - http://www.agrawalarchitects.com

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/6791/godrejsimoco.jpg

SarafIndian

July 30th, 2009, 09:28 PM

^^ Nice update Arijeet..:cheers:

anik1

August 1st, 2009, 09:55 PM

I have booked a 2bhk flat in Harmony..
Can any one give an update on the project, what I know is this is going to get delayed for 2 years. I read in a blog that the construction work has almost stopped.
Also if someone uploads the latest construction photos of the project then that would be great.

SarafIndian

August 2nd, 2009, 12:07 PM

GREEN LETTER DAY

City Breathes Easy As Pre-’93 Vehicles Comply With Order

Kolkata: A new Kolkata was born on August 1. Or should we say the city of joy went back to the golden days of the early 1980s? It certainly felt that way. Minus the toxic fumes, minus the smoke-belching buses and autos, Kolkata was sheer delight on Saturday.
A survey done by Saviour and Friend of Environment (SAFE) and commissioned by The Times of India confirmed that the air the city breathed on Saturday was never this clean in the last two decades, thanks to the enforcement of the high court order to ban pre-’93 commercial vehicles.
It was as if Kolkata had travelled back in time, to the days when cars didn’t jostle for every inch of road space, buses were fewer and autos were yet to arrive. Commuters, even though inconvenienced by the withdrawal of autos and older buses and taxis, loved the transformation. At Shyambazar crossing, where the hydrocarbon count plummeted to just 1 ppm from 19 ppm, people stood on the road in disbelief. Many got down from cars for a breath of fresh air.
Readings taken by SAFE at Dunlop crossing, Shyambazar five-point crossing, Park Circus and the Rashbehari Avenue-SP Mukherjee Road crossing revealed that hydrocarbon levels (which cause liver, kidney and brain damage, and even cancer) dropped by more than 50%. Oxygen count shot up by around 15%, leading to a drop in the percentages of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Suspended particulate matter — which causes bronchial diseases and is chiefly responsible for making Kolkata the asthma capital of the country — nosedived by 50%. The findings vindicated the green activists’ stand against older vehicles.
“This was bound to happen. The sharp drop in the hydrocarbon level proves that older vehicles are the major culprits. They emit unburnt fuel into the air that pushes up the hydrocarbon level to dangerous levels. Let us hope that Kolkata will breathe freely like it did on Saturday,” said green activist Subhas Datta, who had filed the petition seeking the withdrawal of 15-year-old vehicles.
After a decade’s struggle against pollution, it was a green letter day. As many as 32,000 non-LPG autos, 3,000 buses/ minibuses and 6,000 taxis of pre-1993 make as well as 22,000 trucks stayed off the road. Chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti confirmed that there had been near total compliance by transport operators in Kolkata and there were no major flare-ups. Transport secretary Sumantra Chowdhury admitted to some violations on the outskirts but assured that the drive against polluting vehicles would continue unabated.
The 3,000-odd green autos — usually crowded out by the black & yellow cousins that use adulterated fuel and spew toxic fumes — ruled the roads on Saturday. Though there were no autos on some routes, commuters didn’t seem to mind.

‘Lowest pollution level in two decades’

Kolkata: Saturday in Kolkata was a day like no other. After a long time, it was a day that Kolkatans breathed easy. From Dunlop to Rashbehari Avenue, Kolkatans soaked in the clean air. “It is unbelievable. I have been waiting for a bus for 15 minutes and I have not had to cover my nose even once. This is a different Kolkata,” gushed Anyesha Gupta at Shyambazar.
A traffic policeman at Dunlop agreed. Pointing to water bottles stacked in a corner of the police booth, he said: “I have not had to wash my eyes since morning. There is no smoke at all.”
Park Circus, which is usually a cauldron of choking fumes, looked brighter. “It seems I am taking a walk at the Maidan,” said Mohammed Ismail, while crossing the road.
“Pollution levels were this low in Kolkata at least 20 years back. Ever since modern pollution measuring gadgets arrived, the counts have never been this low,” said Sudipto Bhattacharya of SAFE.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/Pc0011200.jpg
Brand new LPG autos cross the second Hooghly bridge while entering Kolkata on Saturday

Times of India

arijeetb

August 2nd, 2009, 03:18 PM

todscreen

August 3rd, 2009, 05:18 AM

wow..that picture is going to go down in all the history books of india. the reigning in of a new era.

arijeetb

August 3rd, 2009, 10:47 AM

Veteran Bengal minister Subhas Chakraborty passes away (http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/aug/03/veteran-bengal-minister-in-critical-condition.htm)

West Bengal [ Images ] Sport, Transport and Youth Affairs Minister Subhas Chakraborty [ Images ] passed away in a private hospital in Kolkata [ Images ] at 11.35 am on Monday following multiple organ failure.

The veteran leader from the Communist Party of India-Marxist was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on July 26 with chest infection and pneumonia. Chakraborty had also been battling cancer for a few years. He was 67 years old.

His condition deteriorated on Monday morning and Chakraborty stopped responding to treatment, said a medical bulletin at 10 am on Monday.

Many CPI-M [ Images ] leaders and members of his party's state secretariat, including West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya [ Images ], visited him at the hospital on Sunday.

Chakraborty, a protege of former chief minister Jyoti Basu, was known for his maverick and outspoken ways in Bengal's political circles.

He recently drew the ire of CPI-M Politburo when he openly protested the latter's decision to expel former Lok Sabha Speaker [ Images ] Somnath Chatterjee [ Images ] from the party last year.

He was showcaused for his stand and was reprimanded in public by his party high command.

In an interview to rediff.com, however, the nonchalant Chakraborty had said soon after, "I am a braveheart and am never scared. I have always swum against the tide and have never stooped.'

The 'braveheart' Chakraborty failed to conquer death this time.

sidney_jec

August 3rd, 2009, 10:59 AM

condolences to his family and to CPI(M)..
anws..
so this means the transport mafia wil losen its grip over the city transport..

SarafIndian

August 3rd, 2009, 06:45 PM

^^ Good beginning. I am hoping the supreme court does not accept the stay and the govt for once brings forth a comprehensive plan with realistic implementation deadlines.

Ya, last two days kolkata feels like heaven.:lol: No pollution. Green autos all over. Very few private buses(blue color). Anyway, lets see what is going to take place after 4th. And govt should immediately introduce more buses.

Juan Pilgrim

August 3rd, 2009, 08:59 PM

I like Kolkata very clean and green!!!!!!

:horse:

sidney_jec

August 4th, 2009, 08:19 AM

TOI Epaper (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIKM/2009/08/04&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00200&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T)

YOU FELT IT, WE PROVE IT
You felt it in your heart. We give you the proof. A survey carried out by SAFE and commissioned by TOI showed that the air on Monday was the freshest in decades
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

The city expected a manic Monday. It turned out to be a magical one. True, people stood in long queues for autos and buses and at Metro ticket counters. But the clean air — probably the cleanest on any Monday in decades — more than made up for it.
Even as rush-hour traffic hit the roads on the first day of the week, there was a surprise for commuters. They could breathe easy even at major intersections, where even a few seconds’ exposure to the fumes would earlier leave them coughing and gasping for breath. For once, waiting in queue for an auto wasn’t so bad.
The autos that rolled in were green. The buses that roamed the city had smarter engines that caused less emission. Two-stroke autorickshaws helped pull down the pollution count further by withdrawing altogether in protest. Again, a protest that Kolkata did not mind.
So, Kolkata travelled back in time to the Eighties once again and soaked in the clean air. With less vehicles on the road — no pre-’93 buses or taxis and almost no autorickshaws — Kolkata was quieter as well.
A pollution survey carried out by NGO Saviours and Friends of Environment (SAFE) revealed that the absence of the older vehicles has indeed made a difference. Despite more vehicles hitting the roads on Monday than on August 1 (a Saturday) when the ban came into effect, the figures on the pollution table slid appreciably. The rain helped matters, but there was much more to the change than just the weather.
At Shyambazar, for instance, the hydrocarbon count — which reflects the quantum of unburnt fuel emitted by older vehicles — fell to just 7%. This was less than half the normal average of 19% that the five-point crossing recorded earlier. While the oxygen count was a healthy 20.81%, carbon dioxide and monoxide counts clocked 0.03% and 0.001% respectively. Both were substantially lower than the normal average. The noise level, too, dropped sharply at Shyambazar to 79.6 decibel from the normal average of 90.
The crowded Moulali crossing had even cleaner air. It clocked a hydrocarbon count of just 4% while oxygen was recorded at 20.93%. With less buses jostling for space, the crossing looked emptier as well. Sound pollution came down at Moulali that recorded a decibel count of 82.3.
“This was to be expected. With the older, polluting vehicles bowing out, the city breathed easier. The difference was apparent not in terms of pollution measurements, there was less smoke and fume at all major intersections across the city,” said Sudipto Bhattacharya of SAFE.
Green activists hailed the new, pollution-free Kolkata. But they felt that commuters were being asked to bear the brunt of the switch-over to new vehicles. “More than 50% of the commercial vehicles in Kolkata are 15 years old. You can’t expect the city to run normally with the strength of the public transport system being reduced to almost half. Older vehicles should have been withdrawn in phases and replacements introduced. Since it has not been done, it would have been prudent on the part of the state government to seek an extension from the high court. Even as the pollution count has dropped, which is excellent, it is not fair to ask commuters to suffer,” said Subhas Datta, green activist.
Kolkatans had a tough time travelling on Monday. With autos pulling out, thousands found it difficult to even reach the Metro stations. Buses remained crowded. “A pollution-free Kolkata is indeed a new experience but travelling has become a hassle. I had to wait for almost an hour for a bus at Shyambazar this morning. On my way back, I can’t even avail the Metro for there won’t be any autos to reach me home from the station,” said
Kamal Sen, an office-goer.
But the verdict was unanimous: in spite of the trouble, they delighted in the clean air. “The difference is remarkable. I can’t believe I am standing at Park Circus crossing,” said 75-year-old Ananda Ray. The high-traffic crossing recorded an oxygen count of 20.85% and hydrocarbon count of just 6. The noise level stood at a mere 74 decibels — almost 14 decibels lower than the normal average. At Tollygunge, a man pointed to the deserted auto stand and said: “Who are they bullying? I’d rather walk home than get on a polluting auto again.”

More from TOI:

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIKM/2009/08/04&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00204&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIKM/2009/08/04&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00203&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

SarafIndian

August 5th, 2009, 08:24 PM

u/c office

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/05082009.jpg

SarafIndian

August 5th, 2009, 08:27 PM

I think this is Forum mall expansion project. Just besides the Forum mall.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/30072009.jpg

arijeetb

August 5th, 2009, 08:33 PM

I think this is Forum mall expansion project. Just besides the Forum mall.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/30072009.jpg

^^yes, this is Forum Courtyard

todscreen

August 5th, 2009, 10:00 PM

forum mall has a nice front view.

rupakd

August 6th, 2009, 11:40 AM

Is there any updated information about VIDEOCON IT PARK, KOLKATA????

Samrat

August 6th, 2009, 02:02 PM

West Bengal plans 1,600 acre township

The West Bengal information technology (IT) department has acquired 1,600 acres in Kolkata, close to Vedic Village, to build an IT township.

At a seminar organised by CII in Kolkata, Debesh Das, state IT minister, said, “We have acquired 1,600 acres close to Vedic Village, of which 600 acres will be commercial space for IT companies. Currently the mutation and conversion process is going on for close to 200 acres. It would take around three years for the township to be completed.”

According to Das, Akash Nirman is the private party involved in the project.

“By December this year, we can give land to any IT company, be it Wipro, Infosys, ICICI or ITC Infotech,” Das claimed.

Currently Wipro Technologies has a 6,500-people facility in Kolkata and has sought 90 acres from the state government. Infosys Technologies, too, has sought 90 acres to set up a facility in Kolkata.

S Gopalakrishnan, CEO and MD, Infosys, who was also present at the seminar, said, “We are still committed to the West Bengal project. However, currently we have put on hold all infrastructure projects and we will relook at all investments once the demand picks up.” Infosys expects first signs of recovery from 2010.

Suresh Senapaty, executive director and CFO of Wipro, said, “Our existing facility at Salt Lake Sector V is saturated and therefore we are looking at additional infrastructure. We are in discussions with the West Bengal government and are looking forward to the expansion in the state.”

According to a CII survey report released at the seminar today, the state government should provide more support to the existing organisations in terms of administration, social and physical infrastructure so that they can get distinctive cost advantages over other states and can expand their businesses in West Bengal.

Business Standard 06.08.2009

arijeetb

August 7th, 2009, 11:06 AM

u/c office

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv214/SarafIndian3/05082009.jpg

^^saraf, do you know what is the cream colored building ( next to the one u/c) ?

arijeetb

August 7th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Varnaparichay - U/C @ College Street
photo cc arijeetb

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4678/varnaparichay01.jpg

arijeetb

August 7th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Is there any updated information about VIDEOCON IT PARK, KOLKATA????

^^not that I am aware of.

todscreen

August 7th, 2009, 11:22 AM

arjjeet..the book mall is suppose to modern and glassy right?

why is it then being built out concrete and not steel reinforcement?

btw..the arches are part of the plan..so they are following the plan
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/377441905_37cf6d7b32_o.jpg

but then there is this ugly one by Bengal Shelter Housing
http://www.bengalshelter.com/Images/VARNAPARICHAY-THE-BOOK-MALL.jpg

i hope its not the latter.

arijeetb

August 7th, 2009, 11:28 AM

sidney_jec

August 7th, 2009, 01:37 PM

Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/07/stories/2009080751151400.htm)

Kolkata Port invites EoI

Special Correspondent
To set up port facilities at

Sagar Island

KOLKATA: The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has invited private sector participation for creation of port facilities at Sagar Island. The Centre is keen on implementing the project fast in order to enhance infrastructure capabilities.

The project is to be implemented in the public-private-partnership mode, as a BOT (build, operate, transfer) project with revenue-sharing. It assumes additional significance in view of the fact that the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) of KoPT is losing cargo to other ports due to reduced navigability.

The location of the Sagar Island at the confluence of the Hugli river and the Bay of Bengal is around 47 km away from HDC. Its draft is 10 metres. Sagar Island is some 82 km away from Sand Heads, the navigational channel from where ships have to be ‘piloted’ to Kolkata Port, India’s only riverine port.

Sources said that the project that is now proposed to be implemented was actually a truncated version of the original project envisaged nearly five years ago. “It was then a Rs. 4,000-crore project which was planned to be implemented with loan from Japanese funding agency, the Japan Bank for International Co-operation,” a KoPT official told The Hindu. However, the loan did not materialise and the project was put on the backburner. The expression of interest now being sought by KoPT marks the revival of the project, although in a scaled down version which will now cost about Rs. 660 crore.

The project would need about 250 acres which will be acquired by KoPT. It will have three jetties with facilities for handling dry bulk cargo like coal and iron ore as well as containers.

However, it will not have the 3.3-km road-cum-rail bridge across the sea as was envisaged originally.

Suncity

August 8th, 2009, 08:04 AM

condolences to his family and to CPI(M)..
anws..
so this means the transport mafia wil losen its grip over the city transport..

The transport mafia is switching allegiance to Miss Mamata's party now that her stars are shining. So much for the change that the self declared intellectuals of Bengal were crowing about!

The government seems to have lost all will to govern and impose the rule of law out of fear of vote bank politics. The ruling party is collapsing into the hole it dug for itself by rarely having faith in the rule of the law. And the opposition seems all the more determined to indulge in politics of destruction. In the end all the masses suffer and the self declared intellectuals get more media and glamour time and maybe some awards for 'social activism'.

Suncity

August 8th, 2009, 08:07 AM

Nice updates ArijeetB and SarafIndian!

:cheers:

Suncity

August 8th, 2009, 08:26 AM

KDS handles a record container traffic in July
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Transportation/KDS-handles-a-record-container-traffic-in-July/articleshow/4860840.cms

Kolkata Dock System (KDS) handled a record 34,287 TEUs of container traffic in July 2009. This is the largest quntum of container shipments
handled in a single month at the Kolkata docks, eclipsing the previous high of 33,219 TEUs in June, 2009.

Significantly, during April-July, 2009, KDS handled an all time high container traffic of 1,24,886 TEUs against 1,02,723 TEUs in April-July, 2008 -- a 21.57% growth over the corresponding period last year. In 2008-09 KDS handled 3,02,169 TEUs.

The improvement of containerisation at KDS has been possible due to multi-dimensional measures taken recently for improving operational efficiency of the container terminal at KDS including induction of state-of-the-art handling equipment, adoption of good operating practices and benchmarking certain productive services against international standards which are showing results.

Besides increasing customer focus coupled with various cost-saving measures for the port users have helped in a major way to achieve the growth in container traffic through KDS.

arijeetb

August 9th, 2009, 10:02 AM

StanChart to raise $1 m for Kolkata eye-care facility (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/17091322.htm)

MUMBAI: Standard Chartered Private Bank plans to raise $1-million from its high networth clients to set up a world-class greenfield eye-care facility in Kolkata, as a part of its global philanthropic initiative, a senior bank official said.

This is a part of the bank's `Investing for a Better Future' global initiative through which it will help its clients support philanthropic activities worldwide. “There are several high networth clients who want to support philanthropic initiatives. We h elp these clients identify opportunities they can directly support,” Standard Chartered Private Bank's Head, Ms Soumya Rajan said.

The Kolkata hospital would be set up in collaboration with Sightfavers and is expected to be up-and-running in 2010, Ms Soumya said.

The private bank with 1,300 households in India as its clients, hopes to raise the $1 million from both domestic and international investors, she said. The Private Bank was looking at identifying three projects to support over the next five-years. After Kolkata, the other two would be in China and Africa, where the projects would be identified soon, she said. - PTI

Suncity

August 10th, 2009, 05:09 AM

India design center

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2936/indiadesigncentreinfiniwf4.jpg

From TOI epaper:

Chamaria said Infinity’s major focus now is on completing the ‘India Design Centre’ (a dedicated hub for the semiconductor industry) at Salt Lake. The firm, however, has decided to go slow on its Bantala plans.

todscreen

August 10th, 2009, 05:49 AM

what is a semiconductor? and why is there a pool in the top floor of the building?

fred_the_cute_guy

August 10th, 2009, 01:06 PM

what is a semiconductor? and why is there a pool in the top floor of the building?

Semiconductors are partial conductors of electricity. Silicon and Germanium are examples of semiconductors. There are two basic technologies related to semiconductors gates used heavily in practice - BJT and FET/MOSFET.

It is a great industry since the entire base of computer hardware and other devices with memory have no option but to have semiconductors inside them. Essentially, the semiconductor industry would be a key to a flourishing computer hardware and electronics industry.

You would be interested to know that Debesh Das, the West Bengal state IT minister, has a deep knowledge and understanding of these technologies. In fact, parts of these are his areas of academic specialization as well as research specialization. So he would probably understand what he needs in this space, and hence West Bengal is lucky in the domain knowledge aspect right at the minister's level.

sidney_jec

August 11th, 2009, 06:58 AM

This is what happens when u are not a local and present a report on matters like the one below:

BW (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_33/b4143053847438.htm?campaign_id=rss_as)

Kolkata: A New Hot Spot in India
With its Communist leadership on the way out, the former Calcutta is poised for quick growth

By Mehul Srivastava

BW MAGAZINE

Kolkata - This city at the mouth of the Ganges should be a jewel in India's crown. The former capital of the British Raj—then known as Calcutta—has a huge English-speaking workforce, decent highways, a vast port, and plenty of cheap land. Yet the metropolis of 13 million has long lagged the likes of Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore in job growth. One key reason: For 32 years the state of West Bengal—of which Kolkata is the capital—has been run by Communists who still revere Marx and Mao.

Kolkata may soon catch up. In municipal voting in July, the city's Communists were booted out in favor of Trinamool Congress, a local group allied with the Congress Party that leads the national government. That followed nationwide elections this spring in which India's Communists lost more than half their seats in New Delhi. And in December, state elections will likely see the West Bengal Communist leadership bounced as well: At least two polls predict a blowout.

While social welfare in Kolkata tends to be better than in much of the rest of India, in recent years the city has suffered economically relative to places that have fully embraced free markets. The Communists have emphasized health care and land reform but have done little to attract business. The growing gap has fueled voter disaffection with the Communists. On July 21, 100,000 people thronged Kolkata's main drag to celebrate the Trinamool victory, blocking traffic as monsoon rains flooded the streets. "Unless [the Communists] are ousted from power, no development is possible in West Bengal," Mamata Banerjee, the firebrand Trinamool chief, told the rally.

ELECTRICITY SHORTAGES
India Inc. is pleased with the change. Outsourcing companies have long eyed Kolkata's capable, inexpensive workforce and would like to expand operations there. Sector V, an industrial park in a drained swamp, illustrates the potential. The Communists agreed not to recruit the park's workers into West Bengal's powerful trade unions, and Sector V now provides jobs for 75,000 people at 550 technology, outsourcing, and call-center companies. The park's export revenue climbed 46% last year to $1 billion, a figure that's expected to hit $1.6 billion this year, while the state's growth is below 10%. And Delhi-based Jindal Steel is planning a mill on land designated as a special economic zone, exempt from state labor rules. "There is great potential for IT in Bengal, for the auto industry, for petrochemicals," says Saugat Chatterjee, regional head of the Confederation of Indian Industries.

Still, the changes won't happen overnight. Corruption, electricity shortages, and a rejection of foreign capital have left the city in rough shape. A year ago, the Communists angered farmers when they seized land for a $450 million plant to build the ultracheap Tata Nano car; protesters led by Banerjee managed to scuttle the plans, creating the opening for Trinamool.

The Communists aren't giving up without a fight. Kolkata has hosted two international trade fairs in the past year, a state agency is offering vacant land to factory owners, and the state has launched an $80 million venture capital fund. But for the old-school Communists running the party out of a decrepit bungalow with peeling posters of Lenin, Mao, and Stalin, the sudden unpopularity seems to be a shock. "Frankly, the reasons for our distance from the people are not known to us," politburo member Biman Bose says, flicking his cigarette into an ashtray modeled after a Marlboro box. The election results, he says, "caught everyone by surprise."

todscreen

August 11th, 2009, 01:00 PM

^^wow..what a bad journalism job. did he get fired after brandishing opinions and misinformation as the holy grail of truth?

Kolkata: A new hotspot in India? It had always been the hotspot. which planet did this dude come from?

Suncity

August 12th, 2009, 03:40 AM

Upohar (http://www.ambujarealty.com/projects/residency/upohar/index.asp)

photo copyright Anindita

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6223/gariahouseaninditas.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/gariahouseaninditas.jpg/)

todscreen

August 12th, 2009, 06:57 AM

WOW..such great update. Upohar came up really fast and without notice. nice

ashim

August 12th, 2009, 08:29 AM

Dear members

any body of u ablr to give the latest progress along with photo for this project

sidney_jec

August 13th, 2009, 07:14 AM

Telegraph (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090813/jsp/calcutta/story_11353788.jsp)

Debut by luxury wheels
ANASUYA BASU

The first Audi dealership in Calcutta is set to open by the end of the year, setting the stage for an all-German battle in the super luxury segment.

Audi India appointed Mohan Motors, which runs a Maruti and a Mahindra dealership in the city, as its exclusive dealer in Calcutta.

“We have received the Letter of Intent from Audi India,” said Sandeep Bajaj of Mohan Motors.

The showroom and an adjoining workshop will come up at 9 AJC Bose Road.

“The plot has been purchased and we are trying to ready the dealership in two to three months,” said Bajaj.

The premium brand from the Volkswagen group will follow German counterparts Mercedes and BMW as well as models from its parent company into the city.

The Audi showroom was supposed to open in January last year. Imperial Auto, which was initially selected for the dealership, backed out later.

Mohan Motors is upbeat about the market. It will showcase the entire Audi line, including the A4, A6 and A8 sedans, the crossover Q5, the SUV Q7 and the sports car TT Coupe, with prices ranging from Rs 44 lakh to Rs 1.4 crore.

Audi India managing director Benoit Tiers said: “Audi is very proud to have arrived in Calcutta, the gateway to the east.”

He added: “Audi has sold 821 cars in India in the first six months of the year. The projected sales for the year is 1,500.”

About the eastern market, Tiers said: “There is a lot of interest among customers in Calcutta and we acknowledge the potential of the eastern India market. Therefore we decided to come here at the earliest opportunity.”

sidney_jec

August 13th, 2009, 07:18 AM

Indian Express (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/200-new-buses-to-hit-kolkata-roads-before-puja/501518/)

200 new buses to hit Kolkata roads before Puja

Express News Service

Kolkata After the much-awaited plan of the state transport department to procure new buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) plan from the Central government, state transport secretary Sumantro Chowdhury on Wednesday said that the first batch of 200 new buses is expected to hit the city roads before the Puja.
Under the JNNURM scheme, the state government will be acquiring around 1,300 news buses. While 100 of those buses will be given to the Calcutta State Transport Corporation and Calcutta Transport Corporation each, 20 of those buses will be run by HIDCO and another 630 would be made to ply on a franchise basis. The rest might be taken by the private bus operators who are to replace their pre-1993 commercial vehicles.

Of almost 3,000 buses, which fall within the 15-year-old ban purview of the High Court, the state transport department claimed that till date only 153 have applied for replacement and 90 of which have received the order of replacement.

On the other hand, the government has received 6,800 applications from the owners of post-2000 two-stroke autos, which fall within the provisions of being fitted with a retrofit LPG kit. Among them, the government said, 2,881 application forms were found to be incomplete.

arijeetb

August 13th, 2009, 04:12 PM

1) HUDCO is constructing the 1st flyover in New town in AA1 near the three malls viz Axis, Block by Block & Terminus. Traffic on both sides of the xway has been diverted to service roads along the stretch.
2) KMOMA - Kolkata museum of Modern Art is in possession of the land for their state of the art art gallery. This is next to the convention center that was planned by Unitech
3) Projects such as Uniworld city, Sankalpa, Xtra Mall and several others in AA1 are progressing well.

SarafIndian

August 13th, 2009, 07:43 PM

arijeetb

August 13th, 2009, 10:42 PM

Great. So, it is one of the 6 proposed flyovers around newtown?

^^4 in fact. According to this link (http://20twentytwo.blogspot.com/2008/08/four-new-flyovers-in-kolkatas-new-town.html),

The first one will come up on the MAR-Rajarhat Road crossing, the second on the Sixth Intersection where four roads meet, the third in the sub-central business district where at least four shopping malls are to be built in the next two years and the fourth on the Bagjola Bridge-Canal Bank Road crossing.

I presume the one in bold is the one that is U/C.

Additionally the plot adjacent to AXIS Mall is seeing some construction activity; it belongs to the Salarpuria group and the first Novotel hotel is U/C:banana:

avishar

August 13th, 2009, 11:05 PM

@arijeetb Yes the under construction flyover is on the main arterial road.the traffic has been diverted onto the side road which itself is well paved.

todscreen

August 14th, 2009, 01:56 AM

Arjeet...i can't wait for KMOMA to come up. its going to be the talking point in India once it starts holding its out of the world exhibitions(perhaps even erotic stuff) hehe..can't wait.

sidney_jec

August 14th, 2009, 06:58 AM

Additionally the plot adjacent to AXIS Mall is seeing some construction activity; it belongs to the Salarpuria group and the first Novotel hotel is U/C:banana:

Novotel..
thats a fantastic news..
any idea about the no of keys in the hotel??
and is it one of those with serviced aptmts?

sidney_jec

August 14th, 2009, 07:11 AM

Lo cost housing is the way ahead, at least for Unitech :)
Souce: TOI

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7985/getimagex.png

avishar

August 14th, 2009, 11:31 AM

times of india artice:

Heritage Cheer In Hospitality Gloom
Hotel hub? Not quite to plan
Subhro Niyogi, Udit Prasanna Mukherji & Suman Chakraborty | TNN

If the city dreamt of emerging as a hospitality hub, that dream is fast turning ephemeral, with more than half the projects either delayed or close to being shelved.
Of the 19 hotel projects that were to begin operations in 2011-12, adding over 5,000 star-category rooms, at least six have been delayed, five put on the backburner and one shelved following reversals that developers faced over the past year. The seven projects that are on track will add 1,365 rooms in the city and its surroundings.
Though Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) had warned of a 12- to 18-month delay in the hotel projects after tourist traffic dipped and corporate travel nose-dived towards the end of last year, the situation is turning grimmer.
“About four-five years ago, a flurry of hotel projects was announced in Kolkata,” said CREDAI Bengal president Pradeep Sureka. “At that time, investment sentiment was riding an alltime high, with Kolkata projected as the next big destination. Industry captains streamed in, triggering more frequent visits by executives. There was every indication that rooms would be occupied as soon as capacity addition took place. Hence, lot of hoteliers and real estate developers jumped in. But the situation has changed. Not only has Kolkata lost the prime investment destination tag, the meltown has jolted the hospitality industry,” he added.
In fact, a lot of developers who had jumped onto the hospitality bandwagon are now trying to get out. “At a time when everyone is battling a financial crisis, operating in a non-core sector is a strict no-no. That is what many have realized,” Sureka explained.
A kilometre-long section of the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass between Science City and the SilverSpring condominium project, that was to emerge as a hotel hub, will continue to have ITC Sonar as the sole destination. The latter does have plans to add a super-luxury property with 450-plus rooms, but plans are yet to be finalized.
“ITC’s expansion plan is definitely on. But it will take some time for a project of this size to take off,” said ITC Welcomgroup eastern region chief Ranvir Bhandari.
There is, however, no discernible progress on the four star hotel projects in the neighbourhood. The promoters — Emaar-MGF, DLF and Apeejay Surendra — look content to keep the plots idle. “Companies will not pump cash into new projects if no returns are assured in two-three years,” said an executive of one of the companies.
No one, though, was willing to make an official comment. Officials of The Park were not available for comment, while Emaar-MGF bosses maintained a stoic silence. A senior DLF official said construction would begin by the end of this year and completed by 2012. “We will start work once the liquidy crunch eases,” he said.
The only project on the Bypass where construction appeared to be moving full steam ahead is the Taj Gateway, near the Ruby island. Foundation piling is currently under way in the 200-room business hotel project.
Another epicentre of the crisis that has struck hospitality projects is in New Town. Of the six projects proposed there, two are doubtful and two delayed. Realty major Bengal Unitech Universal, which took a hit following the meltdown, has put the convention centre in the backburner for now. Two hotels were to be located at this site. The only project that is still alive is Marriott Courtyard. But that, too, is delayed.
Srishti Housing Development Co Ltd has finally begun construction on a 400-room hotel after a prolonged delay. “Our hotel will come up by 2011,” said company chairman Hemant Kanoria.
Salarpuria Properties and Ambuja Realty are the only projects that are close to being on track in Rajarhat. The former is setting up a four-star property, while the latter is nearing completion on the five-star project at City Centre 2. “We are negotiating with an international hotel chain to manage the property. The hotel will open in December or January,” said Ambuja Realty chief Harsh Neotia.
Further down at the airport, the DS Group had planned two hotels — a star and a budget property with 150 rooms each. Though the demolition of Hotel Airport Ashok is underway to make way for the new hotels, the regional head is not willing to make any commitments. “Clearances are being processed. No plan has been frozen yet,” project chief Tapas Biswas said.
Along Kona Expressway, another hotel project by Bengal Unitech Universal group is in freeze mode. But further south along the Hooghly, architects and planners are poring over the drawing board to finalize the Crown Plaza property at Batanagar. The only other projects untouched by the meltdown are those in the heart of the city. Both ITC Fortune on Loudon Street and Park Hyatt on Russel Street are set to open on schedule. Bipin Vora, chairman of the SPS Group that owns the property, said the hotel would be ready by Diwali. Sureka thinks the other projects would be revived once the economy looks up. “Everyone will take a fresh call in six-eight months,” he said.

arijeetb

August 14th, 2009, 03:17 PM

Arjeet...i can't wait for KMOMA to come up. its going to be the talking point in India once it starts holding its out of the world exhibitions(perhaps even erotic stuff) hehe..can't wait.

^^I agree. This will be a sort of first for India. In addition to tickling the senses of art lovers in the city and in the country, I think KMOMA may also prove to be a boost to French tourism:cheers2:

arijeetb

August 14th, 2009, 03:19 PM

Novotel..
thats a fantastic news..
any idea about the no of keys in the hotel??
and is it one of those with serviced aptmts?

Not sure, could not find any details in the salarpuria website. I have been to the one at Hyderabad and it is a 5 star hotel property located next to the famous Hyderabad Intl convention center.

fred_the_cute_guy

August 15th, 2009, 06:23 PM

^^4 in fact. According to
The first one will come up on the MAR-Rajarhat Road crossing, the second on the Sixth Intersection where four roads meet, the third in the sub-central business district where at least four shopping malls are to be built in the next two years and the fourth on the Bagjola Bridge-Canal Bank Road crossing.

I presume the one in bold is the one that is U/C.

In fact, there was a time when there were 8 or 12 flyovers discussed. Could not find the reference - it had appeared in The Telegraph as far as I remember.

Maybe some of the flyovers were thought of in the inner parts of New Town?
__________________
Infrared sauna (http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1617393)

avishar

August 16th, 2009, 08:51 AM

Has anyone noticed the massive construction going on in free-school street just across the road from the mocambo restaurant and the bengal hyundai showroom?.Its looks like its something big.

sidney_jec

August 16th, 2009, 08:53 AM

any whereabouts of the elevated ring road project??

sidney_jec

August 16th, 2009, 08:57 AM

The below piece of news's dated 3rd Nov 2008 and is the latest I could find on the net..

Source (http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news.php?NewsID=8935)

Kolkata assesses Ring Road bids
Three companies have been shortlisted to build and operate the US$1.35 billion, 42km elevated Kolkata Ring Road project in West Bengal, India. The state government is currently comparing the bids and is expected to award the contract in a couple of weeks.

The four-lane road, will feature electronic tolling and an exclusive bus lane. It will have 11 intersections, and is scheduled to open by 2015.

The shortlisted companies are Navyug Construction, ITD of Thailand and a consortium of Srei Infrastructure Finance, Simplex Infrastructure and Sadhbav Engineering.

The winning developer will enjoy the right to collect tolls on every vehicle using the route for the next 35 years. The Indian government has set the daily toll at US$1.04 per vehicle.

todscreen

August 16th, 2009, 03:57 PM

i think it has been shelved. the idea of a ring road project in kolkata in unnecessary. what WB needs is a state highway linking kolkata to siliguri.

arijeetb

August 16th, 2009, 08:51 PM

Has anyone noticed the massive construction going on in free-school street just across the road from the mocambo restaurant and the bengal hyundai showroom?.Its looks like its something big.

^^Are you referring to Park Mansions? They are renovating the heritage structure and that may also include new construction. It is among the top three renovation projects taking place in the city, along with Great Eastern & Mckenzie house

avishar

August 16th, 2009, 09:23 PM

@arijeetb No it not park mansions.Its a brand new plot,surrounded on all side by fences,and its pretty big.You can just make out the deep foundation work going on.

arijeetb

August 16th, 2009, 10:56 PM

@arijeetb No it not park mansions.Its a brand new plot,surrounded on all side by fences,and its pretty big.You can just make out the deep foundation work going on.

^^Checked in Wiki, but no clue. And yes, the plot is quite big, being in the CBD region.

boleboom

August 17th, 2009, 03:13 AM

I visited in March & saw the plot opposite Hyundai showroom & was told it's a shopping mall

LabanHrad

August 17th, 2009, 06:36 AM

Dunlop head quarters used to be on that site. Manickchand group acquired it when Dunlop was closed and wanted to turn it into an office cum shopping complex. When Dunlop reopened they wanted it back but court (probably Calcutta High Court) ruled in favour of Manickchand group. Now the Dunlop building is demolished to make way for a mall. Another heritage building is gone!!!!

So, it is that shopping mall coming up there.

By the way does anybody know about the Dunlop factory's status. Is it still in production?

rupakd

August 17th, 2009, 08:57 AM

The Telegraph
Issue Date: Monday , August 17 , 2009
Bengal SEZ builders seek more time
SOUNAK MITRA

Calcutta, Aug. 16: Many developers of SEZs in Bengal, which have received in-principle approval from the commerce ministry, have either shelved their plans or want more time to acquire land.

Among them are Purnendu Chatterjee-led The Chatterjee Group, Venugopal Dhoot’s Videocon and a city-based Rahul Saraf-headed consortium.

A proposed SEZ first gets in-principle approval, when the developer is yet to get land. After the developer acquires land, the SEZ gets formal approval. Following the formal approval, an SEZ is notified by the central government.

The Chatterjee Group — which had obtained in-principle approval for an IT SEZ on 494 acres in Siliguri — has dropped its plans because of land acquisition problems. A few months back, DLF had sought a denotification for a proposed IT SEZ over 10.12 hectares at Rajarhat.

At present, there are three SEZs in the state— Falta, Manikanchan and Wipro. Till March 2009, the government has given in-principle approval to 14 proposals in the state, formal approval to 14 and notified 9.

Problems of land acquisition in Bengal for industrial purposes started with Singur and Nandigram.

The Tatas were forced to shift the Nano factory from Singur to Sanand in Gujarat following an agitiation by Mamata Banerjee.

At Nandigram, police firing led to the loss of 14 lives two years ago. The Bengal government had to move the site of the chemical hub to nearby Nayachar.

Land-related problems have made DLF pull the plug on its proposed township project at Dankuni.

Recently, a consortium formed by local mall developer Rahul Saraf, too, exited Bengal’s biggest IT park venture, which was supposed to come up at Jagadishpur near Rajarhat on the northern fringes of Calcutta.

Many firms have sought an extension to complete land acquisition. These include Videocon Realty & Infrastructures, which requires 5,560 acres for two SEZs (3,060 acres for an engineering and electronics SEZ in North 24-Parganas and 2,500 acres for a multi-product SEZ in Kharagpur), Salarpuria Properties (250 acres for an electronics SEZ in North 24-Parganas) and SEZ Infrastructure (262.5 acres for an engineering SEZ in Howrah).

Eighty-six proposals to set up units in big and medium sectors in the state were approved in 2007-08, involving an investment of Rs 228,039 crore. In 2005-06 and 2006-07, 667 units were approved, involving an investment of Rs 63,883 crore.

The estimated employment generation in the new units would be 642,420.

rupakd

August 19th, 2009, 10:59 AM

Kolkata is all set to see at least four more multiplexes this financial year at a cumulative investment of at least Rs 15 crore, thanks to improvement in consumer sentiment which has boosted developers’ and multiplex owners’ confidence in investing in the city.
Year 2008 and the first half of 2009 was lack-lustre for the industry due to the terrorist attacks, strife between multiplex owners and movie producers, as well as poor content, leading to a 50 per cent drop in business for the multiplex owners. However, for the rest of 2009, big-ticket releases and overall surge in consumer sentiments have acted as a booster for the multiplex industry.
According to a report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Hindi film industry is around Rs 11,000 crore and is projected to reach Rs 17,500 crore by 2012. While domestic box office collections account for Rs 8,250 crore, overseas box office collections is around Rs 1,000 crore. Home video makes up around Rs 750 crore.
To begin with, Movie Time Multiplex, which has close to 10 multiplexes and 50 screens operational in India, has opened its first multiplex in Kolkata this week and plans to open one more in Salt Lake soon.
“Our first multiplex in Kolkata is at Ballygunge Phari. We have invested close to Rs 2 crore in the 350-seater, two-screen multiplex. We would price the tickets between Rs 50 and Rs 150,” informed Lalit Kapur, managing director of Movie Time Multiplex.
“We have also got land in Salt Lake, close to the stadium, to build another four-screen, 917-seater multiplex. We are investing close to Rs 8 crore in the second property,” Kapur added. Movie Time is also planning to invest up to Rs 50 crore nationally to double its properties.
Fun Cinemas, the Essel Group-managed multiplex chain, will foray into eastern India in 2009-2010.
According to Vishal Kapur, COO, Fun Multiplex, "We are planning to set up close to 40 screens over the next three years in Eastern India with our brands Fun Cinemas and Talkie Town. Fun Cinemas is positioned as a lifestyle brand and Talkie Town a value brand with ticket prices at 50 per cent cheaper than Fun Cinemas. We will invest around Rs 1 to 1.5 crore per property in this expansion. Areas like Durgapur, Howrah and Asansol have been identified where Talkie Town would be functional in the next one year."
Fun has signed on two properties in Kolkata, in Axis Mall and Lake Mall. Each property will be a 5-screen, 1200-seater multiplex, and entail an investment of close to Rs 7 crore for each.
Talkie Town will also look at acquiring some of the standalone dilapidated theatres and rebrand them into either a 4-screen plex or a standalone theatre.
Currently the company has 10 Talkie Town in the country which are all revamped models of dilapidated standalone theatres.
"We are looking at standalone properties in Kolkata for acquiring and rebranding them as Talkie Town but most properties in the city are rather small. Our smallest Talkie Town is a 200-seater, while the largest is around 1200-seater. We would therefore look at smaller cities for setting up the Talkie Town brand, in places like Durgapur, Howrah, Asansol, Jharkhand, etc," Kapur of Fun Multiplex explained.
Currently the company operates 63 screens in 20 locations in India. The company has already signed additional 200 screens in approximately 36 cities across the country which will be operational by the end of 2009. The company also plans to acquire 300 screens during 2008-09 under both formats, totaling its screen count to 550 by 2011.
Cinemax, on its part, is planning two more properties in Kolkata, one in a shopping mall in Salt Lake. "We have also bought over the Hind cinema hall in Central Kolkata where another Cinemax will come up. Depending on how promptly the shopping malls are completed, we expect the new Cinemax multiplexes to start in 2009-10," Devang Sampat, VP-marketing and programming of Cinemax, said.
Cinemax inaugurated its first multiplex in Kolkata's Mani Square mall in 2008 which witnessed 12,000 walk-ins in the first five days.

Suncity

August 20th, 2009, 03:07 AM

http://www.merlinprojects.com/navigator.php?category=2&city=1

Merlin Supriti, Sector III

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3622/merlinsupriti.jpg (http://img146.imageshack.us/i/merlinsupriti.jpg/)

Merlin Matrix, Sector V

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5559/merlinmatrix.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/merlinmatrix.jpg/)

rupakd

August 20th, 2009, 08:57 AM

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3987/lakeview.jpg (http://img198.imageshack.us/i/lakeview.jpg/)
By rupakd (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rupakd)

CONSTRUCTION STATUS(as on 6th July'09)

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5236/30266708.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/i/30266708.jpg/)
By rupakd (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rupakd)
Block 1

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8039/41538532.jpg (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/41538532.jpg/)
By rupakd (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rupakd)
Block 2

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/1731/75034083.jpg (http://img245.imageshack.us/i/75034083.jpg/)
By rupakd (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rupakd)
Block 3

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4392/97124974.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/i/97124974.jpg/)
By rupakd (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rupakd)
Block 4

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3968/73221321.jpg (http://img508.imageshack.us/i/73221321.jpg/)
By rupakd (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rupakd)
Block 5

drsan

August 22nd, 2009, 05:06 PM

Dear Members,

Can anyone provide me with upadates from OLIVE GARDENS PROJECT in rajarhat?

jas29

August 23rd, 2009, 05:53 PM

Kolkata is so densely populated, should be going for more taller construction re office and residential space. Just recently passed through both Kolkata and Dhaka and disappointed to say were at the same stage of development was hoping to see Kolkata truly transformed since my last vist

sidney_jec

August 24th, 2009, 01:52 PM

^^ sorry dude havent heard of the project..

rupakd

August 25th, 2009, 08:56 AM

The Bengal government's association with the Vedic Village people runs too close for comfort. Frantically hunting for land for IT giants Infosys and
Wipro, the government would only fall back on Vedic Realty, which has been into procuring land at Rajarhat for the last decade. So, the government came up with a model that was hitherto unheard of the private developer would buy the land (as much as 1,740 acres) directly from farmers and hand it to the government.

An IT township would thus be created and Infosys and Wipro allotted 90 acres each at subsidized rates. The government, in turn, would develop road, water, sewerage and power infrastructure. This appeared like a win-win situation for the government. The IT minister even said they would get 600 acres free of cost and hand over plots IT players for a cost.

Source: TOI

Fei Jie

August 25th, 2009, 11:49 PM

are there any updates on the Unitech IT park?

rupakd

August 26th, 2009, 10:57 AM

Shop stops to dine dens, hi-tech offices and business hotels to multi-speciality hospitals. A rush of real estate activity along the Rashbehari connector to the EM Bypass is fast turning the corridor into a secondary business district.

After The Acropolis, a Rs 300-crore mixed-use destination being developed through public-private partnership between the CMDA and Merlin Projects Ltd, the latest high-profile project on the happening stretch is The Chambers, a 140,000-sq ft commercial-cum-retail development by realty major Bengal Unitech Universal.McDonald’s has already expressed interest to open an outlet alongside other restaurants and a food court in the Rs 40crore project.

The Chambers, a G+8 structure concept-designed by Callison of the US, is targeting small and medium enterprises with small office-space units ranging from 1,200 to 1,700 sq ft.

The Acropolis at Kasba Rajdanga, with 600,000 sq ft of retail and office space, will also house several theme restaurants and food courts. “We are also building a 200,000sq ft car park across three levels and hope to open the property in early 2011,” Merlin Projects managing director Sushil Mohta says.

The Taj Gateway opposite Ruby General Hospital, a 200-room luxury business hotel from the Taj Group, is under construction and will become operational by early 2011. Also, South City Projects will soon launch a 600,000-sq ft office building on the EM Bypass near the Ruby roundabout. Quite a few large car showrooms have come up in the area as well.

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5009/bypass.jpg (http://img190.imageshack.us/i/bypass.jpg/)

Source : The Telegraph

Vaga_Bond

August 26th, 2009, 02:25 PM

Sumali Moitra | TNN

Kolkata: Infosys on Tuesday indicated it is not losing sleep over the controversy generated by the torching of a luxury resort on the fringes of the city from coming in the way of its establishment of a campus here.
The promoter of Vedic Village is part of the joint venture which has tied up with Webel for developing the IT hub, within which Infosys is to be allotted 90 acres. Earlier this month, state IT minister Debesh Das had claimed that Infosys would be handed over the land by December.
“We have entered into an MoU with the state government for our proposed venture. We have put that investment on hold. We will take a decision on investment once the impact of global recession is over,” Infosys CEO & MD Kris Gopalakrishnan told TOI in an e-mail. He was responding to a question on whether the arson incident would have any bearing on the firm’s Kolkata plans.
Infosys had signed the MoU in 2008. At the time of the signing, the firm had said it proposed to invest Rs 500 crore on this facility.

Vaga_Bond

August 26th, 2009, 02:27 PM

Kolkata: Bengal’s IT investment point-man feels the prevailing industrial atmosphere in the state could dissuade major tech firms from setting up shop here.
“The IT industry requires an eco-system to function and the one here is very noisy. Large companies might find this to be a problem,” Webel MD Tamal Dasgupta told TOI on Tuesday. Webel is the agency responsible for promoting the growth of IT and electronics industry in Bengal.
The statement of Dasgupta — who joined Webel four months back after a long stint at Wipro — attains significance as it comes just days after a luxury resort on the north-eastern fringes of Kolkata was set alight by locals piqued by what they felt was an irregular land acquisition mechanism.
Incidentally, the firm that established the Vedic Village is a co-promoter of a joint venture which, in turn, has tied up with Webel for developing an IT hub in the vicinity of Rajarhat. Both Wipro and Infosys are to be allotted 90 acres each in this proposed development. Dasgupta, however, declined to comment on the fate of this association following the flare-up.
“When the government acquires land, there’s a problem. When private firms do it, then also it’s the same. Stakeholders would have to decide how hungry they are to have more IT in the state,” he said. “While in theory, it is possible to ask large IT companies to move to Purulia and start operations, it isn’t a practical solution,” he added.
Dasgupta said the IT industry — which he pointed out was already seeing signs of recovery — would grow by 12-15% even in a tough environment. “The question is whether Bengal would play a part in it or not. Whether companies here will get the land to play upon,” he asked.
Apart from Tata Motors which was forced to shift its Nano plant from Singur, problems surrounding land issues have already led to several high-profile exits from Bengal. The list includes DLF which pulled out of a township project in Dankuni, The Chatterjee Group from an IT SEZ venture in Siliguri, and a local consortium from an IT infrastructure undertaking in Rajarhat.
Dasgupta said Webel would invest in ERP software to ensure transparency in its functioning. “We are looking at processes for HR, procurement and real-estate management. We will be floating a tender shortly and hope to have things in place by March.”

Vaga_Bond

August 27th, 2009, 06:42 AM

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: Vedic Realty group said the ongoing controversy surrounding the luxury resort won’t affect the progress of the IT hub being developed by a group firm in association with Webel.
Vedic Realty MD Raj Kishore Modi said around 500 acre had been purchased, from which 90 acre each would be allotted to Infosys and Wipro within the next couple of months. IT minister Debesh Das has committed to both companies that land would be handed over to them by December.
“The IT township will be developed in three phases. We have bought some land but it is in parcels and not contiguous. But around 180 acre required for the two IT majors is with us. The deeds are being searched. Mutation proceedings will follow. We hope to wrap them up in a couple of months and hand over the land to the IT department,” Modi said on Wednesday.
Altogether, the company plans to acquire 1,740 acre of which 600 acre will be handed to the IT department, 300-350 acre allotted for road and other infrastructure development and rest retained by the company for real estate development.
The government has opted for the unique model of getting the land purchased by private promoters to avoid the prickly issue of land acquisition that has already grounded its two flagship projects — the Tata Motors plant in Singur and chemical hub at Nandigram. The IT department had to work out this formula after Wipro and Infosys rejected the land allotted at New Town, pointing out that Hidco was asking an exorbitant price.
Modi claimed that the land for the IT project was being purchased from farmers at Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1.30 crore an acre. “We have made the payments to the bank accounts of the land holders,” Modi said. While the land price quoted by him is way above that of Hidco, the IT department has promised to provide the land to Wipro and Infosys at a subsidised rate.

rupakd

August 27th, 2009, 09:13 AM

Bengal Peerless Housing Development Company proposes to develop a residential-cum-commercial project in three phases near the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in Kolkata. The project is expected to entail an investment of Rs 400 crore.

Bengal Peerless is a JV company in which West Bengal Housing Board and Peerless General Finance and Investment Company hold 49.5 per cent stake each while the balance one per cent is held by promoters and State Government nominees.

The project, to come up on 15 acre near Ruby Hospital is likely to have 1,600 flats with a total residential area of 10-11 lakh sq ft and about 3.5 lakh sq ft. of commercial and office space. Half the residential units will be for the high-income group, and the rest for middle and low-income groups.

The company has acquired land for the project which is presently in the designing and planning stage. The entire project is expected to be completed in seven years time.

Source : ProjectsToday,August 17, 2009, 17:45 Hrs

sidney_jec

August 27th, 2009, 11:57 AM

Not sure, could not find any details in the salarpuria website. I have been to the one at Hyderabad and it is a 5 star hotel property located next to the famous Hyderabad Intl convention center.

i got some renders of Novotel while i was searching something..
Source (http://www.sachdevodell.com/projects/kolkata.html)

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/472/kolkata01.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3107/kolkata02.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5382/kolkata03.jpg

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/5818/kolkata05.jpg

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/1254/kolkata06.jpg

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/7645/kolkata07.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/9126/kolkata08.jpg

arijeetb

August 27th, 2009, 11:31 PM

Indigo fleet to take on Amby taxis in city (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/kolkata-/Indigo-fleet-to-take-on-Amby-taxis-in-city/articleshow/4942994.cms)
The first batch of Tata Indigo yellow taxis have arrived in Kolkata to compete with the ubiquitous Ambassador, which has enjoyed a monopoly
for nearly five decades.

The non-AC Indigo, priced Rs 3.07 lakh ex-showroom and Rs 3.28 lakh on road, will cost around Rs 33,000 more than a new Ambassador cab. While operators still swear by the Amby, Tata Motors is banking on its ability to deliver as many vehicles as required at the shortest possible time to penetrate the market.

Around 6,000 cabs have been driven off the road due to the 15-year age barrier imposed on commercial vehicles that ply in Kolkata and its immediate suburbs. But with capacity constraints at the Hindustan Motors plant in Uttarpara, which manufactures and sells around 10,000-12,000 Ambassadors in the entire year, Tata Motors is keen to step in with its prompt delivery promise to woo a section of taxi owners.

The transport department had earlier issued notification for permitting 1,000 each of diesel Indigo and Wagon-R duo (petrol and LPG). Both auto companies are offering Rs 60,000 for replacement of old cabs and Rs 20,000 in subsidy.

"We have been allotted 1,000 vehicles for replacement of existing taxis and we are trying to maximize the opportunity. Once we achieve a decent figure, momentum will pick up that will drive sales thereafter," Tata Motors regional manager (passenger car business unit) Gautam Mukherjee said.

Test cabs have reached the three Tata Motors dealerships Lexus Motors, KB Motors and RD Motors. Dealers Binod Agarwal, Anil Bagaria and Pradeep Jain confirmed that their teams were in advanced stage of negotiation with taxi owners and financers to seal deals.

"We are pitching with taxi associations to convince them that investing the additional amount is worthwhile, as the Indigo is more fuel efficient and comfortable, both for drivers and passengers. We have confirmed proposals for a dozen cabs," Bagaria said.

Jain said talks were on with financers like Uco Bank, UBI, Rajgharia Finance and Todi Investments to chalk out lucrative equated monthly instalments. "If the response is good, we will consider allowing more Indigo vehicles," said a transport department official.

Functionaries of Bengal Taxi Association and Calcutta Taxi Association have welcomed the entry of Indigo cabs in the sector but want LPG Maruti Omni and diesel Indica to be allowed too. "Let us have more options," said Calcutta Taxi Association secretary Tarak Nath Bari.

rupakd

August 28th, 2009, 07:39 AM

The Ashok brand is scripting a comeback to the hospitality scene in the state.
It was Indian Tourism Development Corporation’s (ITDC) umbrella hotel brand prior to its divestment of 11 properties, including Hotel Airport Ashok in Kolkata. Now, ITDC officials are in talks with at least four hoteliers and developers to set up franchise hotels in Kolkata, Siliguri, Santiniketan and Shankarpur.
ITDC vice-president Kuldeep Verma will fly into Kolkata on Monday to negotiate a deal with a realty major for a 200-room hotel close to the airport. Seven years ago, the company had sold off stake in Hotel Airport Ashok, once a leading five-star property that had suffered from poor occupancy after flights to the city nosedived.
“We are in talks with a realtor who plans to set up a 200-room property on Jessore Road, close to the airport. The Rs 150-200 crore project should be up and running shortly after the modernization of Kolkata airport,” Verma told TOI from Delhi. Though he refused to name the partner, industry sources said the Fort group was in the forefront.
The deals with individual 3/4-star hotel properties in Kolkata and other towns are expected to be finalized in two-three weeks. ITDC will charge 3% of the gross room revenue from the partner hotel as per international practice. The contracts will be for three years.

Source: TOI

sidney_jec

August 28th, 2009, 07:45 AM

^^ This is absurd..
why should the govt run Hotels??
They divested their property and now want to come back to the scene again..
doesn't make any sense to me..

rupakd

August 28th, 2009, 10:55 AM

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5923/28158580.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/28158580.jpg/)

Source: TOI

rupakd

August 28th, 2009, 10:59 AM

After McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, Calcutta will soon welcome Papa John’s, the “third largest pizza company in the world”, which wants to set up 10 to 15 outlets in the state.

Papa John’s International Inc. is among the six popular US-based food majors seeking partnership opportunities in eastern India, according to a release by the US Commercial Service, an agency of the US department of commerce.

“Papa John’s, which owns or franchises over 3,000 restaurants worldwide, has spelt out a concrete roadmap for Calcutta and the East. They want to open around 15 outlets in the next four to seven years,” Arup Mitra of the US Commercial Service told Metro on Thursday.

The other big US food brands looking at Calcutta are Church’s Chicken, one of the largest quick-service chicken chains in the world, CKE Restaurants, Tropical Sno, a leader in the shaved ice industry, The Melting Pot, one of America’s “premier” fondue restaurant franchises and Round Table Pizza.

Source: The Telegraph

Suncity

August 29th, 2009, 05:11 PM

are there any updates on the Unitech IT park?

There are quite a few photos in this thread by ArijeetB and SarafIndian.

arijeetb

August 29th, 2009, 10:00 PM

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5923/28158580.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/28158580.jpg/)

Source: TOI

^^this should sell like hot cakes. The upcoming Karonamoyee metro station is a minute away.

drsan

August 30th, 2009, 01:53 PM

Can anyone give me updates on Olivegardens Bungalow township in Rajarhat? It is being made by the canopy group and marketed by bhuwalka estates.

www.canopygroup.in
http://www.olivegardens.in/

Nibbs08

August 30th, 2009, 07:10 PM

^^this should sell like hot cakes. The upcoming Karonamoyee metro station is a minute away.

Yes but how are they managing 57 appartments in that small area,and I have seen the location -it does not llook like what the picture suggests

rupakd

August 31st, 2009, 12:37 PM

Kolkata-based IT product and services company, Globsyn Infotech, today said it is in advance talks with two American companies for acquisition.

“We are in advance stage of talks with the two US-based companies for acquisition and my target is to complete at least one by June 30, 2010,” Globsyn Infotech Chairman Bikram Dasgupta said.

Cash-positive companies are on the radar for takeover, he said. Adding, the acquisition should fit in the scheme of things of the existing business. Globsyn is a product and services organisation with core rooted in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) space.

On funding for the acquisition, he said, money would be raised from the shareholders by way of rights issue or other means. Money won’t be a constraint for expansion of the business either by the inorganic or organic route, he said. Dasgupta said the inorganic route would help the company to enhance value and market capitalisation.

Talking about its latest product to check money laundering, Dasgupta said Globsyn’s Real-time AML Filter for Turbo Swift (RAFTS) is fully integrated and is in compliance with Anti-Money Laundering solutions.

RAFTS allows real time filtering of all incoming and out going fund transfer messages to look for any unusual or suspicious transactions being carried out during international transactions by a bank.

Source: Business Standard

rupakd

September 1st, 2009, 01:11 PM

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2221/31609383.png (http://img232.imageshack.us/i/31609383.png/)

No. of Floors : 2(G+4), 3(G+15)

No. of Flats : 396

Flat Sizes : 2BR(866 - 1147 sqft.), 3BR(968 - 1787 sqft.), Duplex(1474 - 1494 sqft.)

abhijitx

September 1st, 2009, 07:41 PM

abhijitx

September 1st, 2009, 07:43 PM

Some pics of East West Metro work in progress.

http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/3.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/4.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/6.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/5.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/7.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/11.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/12.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/8.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/9.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/10.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/13.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/14.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/16.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/15.jpg
http://www.kmrc.in/images/thum/17.jpg

Source : KMRC Website

SarafIndian

September 1st, 2009, 08:53 PM

Many thanks for the nice find abhijitx. :banana: Please post any metro related update on our kolkata railway update thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=42221072#post42221072

I reposted those pics on the above thread. Btw, welcome to SSC. :cheers:

Some pics of East West Metro work in progress.

Source : KMRC Website

Vegchop

September 1st, 2009, 11:42 PM

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/17798825/or/1572827185/name/City+Center+2.JPG

Suncity

September 2nd, 2009, 03:17 AM

Nice to see you back Vegchop!

Vegchop

September 2nd, 2009, 06:48 AM

Nice to see you back Vegchop!

Thanks Suncity! I do follow the posts closely, wish I could contribute more.

Samrat

September 2nd, 2009, 03:43 PM

Here is an interesting article appeared in today's TOI
02.09.2009

Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai most affluent cities

NEW DELHI: Delhi, Bengaluru and greater Mumbai have been named as the top three most affluent cities in the country based on lifestyle and
consumption habits of the people residing there, according to a survey by The Nielsen.

The Nielsen Upper Middle and Rich (UMAR) survey has ranked Delhi at the top of the chart of 10 most affluent cities based followed by Bengaluru at the second place, Greater Mumbai (3rd), Chennai (4th) and Hyderabad (5th).

The survey has initiated a new method of defining 'affluence', based on lifestyle and consumer durables' ownership of a household rather than monthly income and education.

Three distinct segments of affluence emerged by such lifestyle and consumer durables mapping - upper middle, upper-upper middle and rich and are quite distinct in their consumption habits, the survey said.

The grouping was done based on the ownership of a car, a computer, an LCD, and a holiday abroad, the survey said.

"The primary reason for conducting Nielsen UMAR was to obtain first of all a realistic estimate of this segment, and secondly, to profile their media and consumption habits," The Nielsen Company Managing Director (South Asia) Partha Rakshit said.

Suncity

September 3rd, 2009, 03:42 AM

Here is an interesting article appeared in today's TOI
02.09.2009

Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai most affluent cities

What's it got to do with Kolkata projects though? Kolkata is no 6 in the "survey".

On why we need not pay too much attention to such surveys is - that a recent survey by - Indicus - placed Dhapa as the third richest neighbourhood in Kolkata and the Gobra burial ground area as the fifth richest in the city. As per them the richest neighbourhood in India was Bhandup in suburban Mumbai (please check out Bhandup area on google maps). Now that will really make south Mumbaikars upset.

:)

rupakd

September 3rd, 2009, 07:51 AM

For quite some time now, local authorities have been tom-tomming the impending launch of software giant Cognizant’s operations at Bantala and how this would provide a fillip to the stuttering IT sector in the state.
But as things appear at the moment, any movement in this regard appears unlikely before the Pujas, unless, of course, the company chooses to opt for a largely ceremonial launch later this month to coincide with the festivities.
“The first phase of Cognizant’s techno-complex in Bantala is nearly ready. We are waiting for the promised waste management plan to be implemented. We are in discussions with the administration to resolve this issue on a priority basis so that we can start fullfledged operations in Bantala,” a company spokesperson said, when asked about the issue.
Cognizant has taken up 20 acres at the IT SEZ developed by Cricket Association of Bengal president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s construction firm M L Dalmiya & Company on land carved out of the Calcutta Leather Complex in Bantala. In the past, the firm had indicated that it intended to hire nearly 4,000 professionals at this facility.
“The commerce and industries department is looking into the matter. The waste management issue should hopefully be resolved in October. It is possible that Cognizant may decide to shift some of their staff to Bantala only after this happens,” state IT minister Debesh Das said. “Cognizant has not given us an indication on the likely timeframe within which it wishes to start (at Bantala).”

Source: TOI

rupakd

September 3rd, 2009, 08:16 AM

A chunk of prime land in New Alipore has changed hands in a big-ticket deal at a time such deals are under the scanner across the state.

A 229-cottah plot next to BP Poddar Hospital, which once housed the factory of edible oils group Rasoi, has been sold to city-based real estate firm Ideal Group for Rs 85 crore, which works out to around Rs 37 lakh per cottah. The factory premises were lying idle since June 2002, when the company shifted operations to Banganagar, near Diamond Harbour.

“We will develop a high-end residential property there, in the shape of two high-rise towers designed by Hafeez Contractor,” said S.K. Himatsingka, the chairman of the Ideal Group. The realty firm is looking at around 200 apartments and hopes to break ground in January 2010.

Source: The Telegraph

sidney_jec

September 3rd, 2009, 08:21 AM

^^why Hafeez..
he doesn't even know how to design a roof let alone a high rise condominium..:ohno:

sidney_jec

September 3rd, 2009, 08:28 AM

may these reporters burn in hell :bash:

Source (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/west-bengals-latest-casualty-is-600acre-it-park-with-infosys/510592/)

Bengal's latest casualty is 600-acre IT park with Infosys

rupakd

September 3rd, 2009, 09:52 AM

Diamond Group in association with Kshitij Investment Advisory Co. Ltd. will create a Retail Revolution in Kolkata by presenting City Junction on VIP Road. The project spread over more than three acres of land once launched as a mixed used development is bound to bustle with activity. It is well located and has an excellent frontage of 470 feet on the main VIP Road along with Retail, Cinemas, Restaurants and Entertainment. The development will also house 168 Room Hotel with Coffee Shop and Banquet Halls.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/1831/79793195.png (http://img216.imageshack.us/i/79793195.png/)

arijeetb

September 3rd, 2009, 06:20 PM

Microchip selects Kolkata for it's embedded designer forum event in India (http://www.eeherald.com/section/news/nw10000769.html)

Microchip is actively engaged in conducting training session for embedded system developers in India and around the world. For it's worldwide event named Embedded Designer's Forum, it has selected Kolkata city in the Indian region. The date of the event is Dec 14, 2009 and the venue is ITC Hotel Kolkata.

The topics to be covered are, eXtrem Low Power Technology (Nanowatt XLP), enhanced PIC16F1 Architecture, 32-Bit microcontrollers, USB applications and mTouch Sensors as well as Graphics Control Libraries in 6 technical presentations and demonstrate practical examples.

Microchip is selling its development kits at lower price and also offering free, hands-on training at its Regional Training Centers. To register or for more information, please visit http://www.microchip.com/EDF.

"Today's embedded designers are tasked to do more with less, at lower costs and in less time," said Ken Pye, vice president of Worldwide Applications Engineering for Microchip. "Our Embedded Designer's Forums are designed to enable them to accomplish these goals. Whether it is learning how to develop extremely low-power designs, or enhancing user interfaces with touch sensing and graphic displays, the Forums will give designers an edge to quickly differentiate their products in the marketplace."

Microchip is recently focusing on reducing power consumption of it's all types of semiconductor devices and is displayed even in it's product brands by using words like 'Nanowatt'; in line with the worldwide semiconductor device trend of low power computing.

suraj100

September 3rd, 2009, 11:34 PM

Below is how our very own Eden Gardens is gonna look for the 2011 WC

http://www.burthill.com/FILES/projects/733_550/Eden_Garden_2.jpg
http://www.burthill.com/FILES/projects/733_550/Eden_Garden_1.jpg
http://www.burthill.com/FILES/projects/733_550/Eden_Garden_3.jpg
http://www.burthill.com/FILES/projects/733_550/Eden_Garden_4.jpg
http://www.burthill.com/FILES/projects/733_550/Eden_Garden_5.jpg

todscreen

September 4th, 2009, 04:46 AM

i am back,

you guys missed me?

is Eden gardens going to be the official home of the Knight Riders?

thats cool, how they are taking on the american version of football(rugby)!

rupakd

September 4th, 2009, 08:42 AM

Below is how our very own Eden Gardens is gonna look for the 2011 WC

Great pics...Thanks a lot...........

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has roped in world-famous American design firm Burt Hill to overhaul the stadium in a two-year project. Total project cost is expected to be Rs 50 crore to Rs 80 crore.

rupakd

September 4th, 2009, 12:01 PM

The project is spread over 18 acres of land. Several G+15, G+12 and G+7 buildings comprising a total number of 1476 MIG & HIG flats of 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms will be on offer to public.

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9301/lakeside1big.jpg (http://img143.imageshack.us/i/lakeside1big.jpg/)

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4126/lakeside3big.jpg (http://img143.imageshack.us/i/lakeside3big.jpg/)

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/3636/lakeside5big.jpg (http://img143.imageshack.us/i/lakeside5big.jpg/)

arijeetb

September 4th, 2009, 03:32 PM

i am back,

you guys missed me?

is Eden gardens going to be the official home of the Knight Riders?

thats cool, how they are taking on the american version of football(rugby)!

^^yeah, and about time too!. So you went underground ?

arijeetb

September 4th, 2009, 03:33 PM

avishar

September 4th, 2009, 03:59 PM

Its about time our rich cricket associations spend the huge amounts of money they make on refurbishing the stadiums.Eden gardens looks amazing.

drsan

September 5th, 2009, 06:21 PM

Here are few pics of Olive gardens, Bungalow township at rajarhat. It is being developed by The Canopy Group and marketed by Bhuwalka estates. Please go to the link below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42246125@N08/?saved=1

antriksh_sfo

September 6th, 2009, 06:43 PM

[QUOTE=suraj100;42339104]Below is how our very own Eden Gardens is gonna look for the 2011 WC

Awesome pics buddy.
Hope you guys keep posting evry bit of progress.
I love EG for the 93 Hero Cup, the 93 England Whitewash, Azhar's Heorics, its sheer grandeur and for evrything it is.
The demolition is scheduled to start next week, expect you guys can post pix of progress as maidan is just walkable from Dharamtala and any one can pick up the pix.
Hope this gets done b4 WC2011.
I belive the actual plan is to get only half done for 2011 and the rest for 2018 CAB Centenary. But the pic shows completed status. Little confused.

rupakd

September 7th, 2009, 09:24 AM

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/3198/dlf.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/dlf.jpg/)

Key Features

Ample surface parking, single level basement parking
Modern fire detection & suppression systems with sprinklers, fire & smoke detectors
Seismic design complaint as per zone
Air condition with energy efficient chillers
100% power back up
4 high speed elevators
2 escalators
A well integrated development consisting of both Retail and Commercial Spaces
Excellent connectivity to the site through expressway.
All atrium facing shops to provide good visibility to the Retail Stores; ensurign higher footfalls.
Commercial Office Spaces ideally suited for all business needs of Corporates as well as Small Entrepreneurs.
Size: 3 acres

Features: Retail

Designed by Hafeez Contractor
Open and vibrant shopping model
All the blocks of retail connected on the 1st and 2nd floor by wide open corridors and through escalators
Movement through 2 banks of escalators and 4 high speed lifts
Conveniently designed shops
Restaurants have good connectivity to the retails floors
Excellent visibility from the ground floor
Traditional market place with organized retail
Extensively landscaped courtyard and open spaces to enhance the ambience

Features: Office

Affordable office spaces
Double height office atrium on the Ground Floor
Parking- Surface ( 140) + Single Level Basement ( 266)
Fire safety norms being adhered or exceeded
Modern fire detection and suppression systems with sprinklers, fire and smoke detectors
Seismic design complaint as per zone IV
Centrally air-conditioned with energy efficient chillers

todscreen

September 7th, 2009, 10:27 AM

Olive Gardens is coming up fast

pic from clock tower
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/24488172.jpg
from panoramio

Vaga_Bond

September 7th, 2009, 02:55 PM

Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Monday informed IT majors Infosys and Wipro that their projects in a proposed township on the outskirts of this metropolis had been scrapped, according to officials.

The proposed IT township at Rajarhat near Salt Lake had become controversial in recent weeks following allegations that land sharks had been involved in acquisition of plots there.

Just about a month back, West Bengal IT Minister Debesh Das had declared that the state government had already acquired land for the Infosys and Wipro complexes in the proposed township.

Source:NDTV

drsan

September 7th, 2009, 03:50 PM

Nice pic from the clock tower.

drsan

September 7th, 2009, 04:06 PM

Printed from
Guns, money & a marred village idyll
TNN 6 September 2009, 04:22am IST
A deadly cocktail money, muscle power and political patronage sullied the green fields of Rajarhat. Since the early '90s, this area in North 24-Parganas was in the hands of toughs like Majid Master, Arabul Islam, Gaffar Mollah, Bulton.

First, it was the bheris (fish farms) that brought in the money. The socio-economic scene changed once the government announced the New Town project, three times bigger than Salt Lake. Suddenly, the fields of Rajarhat saw a gold rush. Land prices escalated and real estate was the new buzzword. Local goons turned builders and building material suppliers with political patronage.

Things were hunky dory till the arson at Vedic Village on August 23. As the investigation progressed, a multi-crore land and building material supply chain thriving in connivance with realtors, police and politicians came to light.

Vedic Village is a prototype of projects that were the fruit of shady land deals in this agricultural zone. Olive Gardens is one such estate-cum-resort, coming up within 3 km of Vedic Village. Arun Maheswari, former CPM MP Sarala Maheswari's husband, is among the project's patrons. The property is located next to Action Area-III of Rajarhat New Town, under the Patharghata panchayat.

Meet Manoranjan Ghosh, a resident of Kashinathpur village in Patharghata. Ghosh and his three brothers own an orchard spread over 3.66 acre in the neighbouring Garagudi village beside Olive Gardens. The project's promoters have already procured 500 bighas in the area over the last five years, and have been eyeing Ghosh's property for some time. Ghosh sold a part of the orchard to the promoters but declined to part with the rest. "We had around 200 mango trees as well as many other species. They were our only source of income. Many of them have been chopped off," said Manoranjan's son Shankar Ghosh.

The promoters tried to persuade Manoranjan at the negotiation table. What followed, was coercion. The project's patrons bared their fangs and mobilised local toughs like Alauddin Box to grab the land. Members of the Ghosh family were beaten up badly.

"We approached local politicians and lodged complaints with the police at least 10 time over the past 18 months. But police did not restrain Maheswari, even after the court clamped Section 144 around the area," said Ghosh. Some of Ghosh's neighbours faced the same treatment when they refused to sell out their plots to Canopy Projects Pvt Ltd.

Project chairman Arun Maheswari, however, denied the charge. "This is a baseless charge, a conspiracy to demand more money for the land. They have moved court. However, we have stopped buying land in the area," he maintained.

The land hunt began with Kamal Gandhi who roped in land sharks, including one who is now in custody in the Vedic case. The Chandpur panchayat was then under BJP MP Tapan Sikdar's constituency. Local BJP leaders monopolized the supply chain. Trinamool stepped into the scene after the 2003 rural polls, when the party won a few panchayats. CPM was already there. The Trinamool boss was Rajarhat MLA Tanmay Mandal.

Mandal started calling the shots along with CPM's Rabin Mandal and was soon inducted into the supply chain within the Housing Infrastructure Development Company (HIDCO) compound at New Town.

The politicians soon built a network with goons like Gour Mondal, Ruis and Susanta alias Hansa. They helped grab land, while hundreds of CPM youths from the adjoining villages formed syndicates and monopolized the supply trade under the supervision of CPM leaders Rabin Mandal, Tapas Chatterjee, chairman of Rajarhat Gopalpur Municipality, Tapan Talukdar and Ramesh Bar.

Taking the cue, MLA Tanmay Mandal entered into a tacit live-and-let-live understanding with Rabin Mondal and managed to plant his kin as the chairman of a supply syndicate. Later, local Trinamool leaders like Sabyasachi Dutta, Prabir Kar took the lead. These leaders have now turned financiers of the developers working at the sites around Rajarhat.

Arabul Islam, who had amassed huge wealth, soon became the MLA and started dominating the Bhangar-Rajarhat area. But all of this would not have been possible without the co-operation of police. There is also a charge pending against a former OC of Rajarhat PS, now posted in South 24-Parganas, who is allegedly running a hotel at Diamond Harbour.

Olive Gardens is coming up fast

pic from clock tower
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/24488172.jpg
from panoramio

Suncity

September 7th, 2009, 04:10 PM

Kolkata West International City 'on course' sans Unitech

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kolkata-west-international-city-%5Con-course%5C-sans-unitech/369256/

Unitech has dissociated from the Salim Group and Universal Success Enterprises-promoted Kolkata West International City, a satellite township project off Kona Expressway.

Unitech was roped in from the latter part of 2007 as a strategic partner and was primarily responsible for the marketing of the project. Subsequently, the project was renamed Nirvana Township when Unitech was in the picture but has gone back to its orignal name, Kolkata West International City since the disassociation.

Officials close to the development stated that earlier Unitech was associated as part of the project in the marketing capacity but now that Salim Group had their own marketing team in place, there was no real need for marketing support from Unitech. Added to this is the fact that Unitech has its own projects in the city now.

The project which has been delayed by more than a year, delivered about 50 bungalows as Phase-I in June 2009. Project officials said that the project had been delayed due to pollution board clearance problems. They further added that the project was well on track as the first instalment of bungalows had been delivered. They said the Phase-I of the project consisting 750-800 bungalows would be completed by 2010.

Project officials said that the project had been delayed due to West Bengal Pollution Control Board clearance problems. “The project being a township, requires some basic levels of infrastructure development and that has been our primary focus. We have started delivering the bungalows now and the first batch was delivered in June 2009. The rest of the project is well on track and we will be delivering on the set premises soon,” said a marketing official on condition of anonimity.

The customers have other points of concern as well. The project was supposed to include a school, a market place and a hospital. But many of these amenities are still missing from the project site although the the township is over 12 kms away from Vidyasagar Setu.

Around 80 per cent of the buyers have already paid 80 per cent of the money while 20 per cent of the buyers have made full payment. The project was considered to be one of the largest Foreign Direct Investments in township projects in India when it had been conceived in 2007.

globalthinker

September 7th, 2009, 05:26 PM

One after another, WB is losing all growth opportunities. Other states are quick to gain on WB's loss. The less growth and employment we have, more time people get for destructive activities like bandh and dharna etc. and politicians keep taking advantage of this.

I don't understand why Government was so quick to scrap the project when it was announced a month back that it is ready to handover the land to Infosys and Wipro. Instead of depending on the private developer, it would have been better for the Government to arrange the land itself. It would have been prudent to explore all possible resolutions before kicking off another opportunity in rush. This closes the door for IT growth in WB for good number of years to come and none but people of WB will suffer

DEVADI

September 7th, 2009, 05:49 PM

Hey Guys. Anybody has any information on proposals being floated to develop a mall at the Milon Mela site? ... The existing structures are a sad eyesores, hope there's some well meaning initiative to revitalize the site. It has huge locational potentials.

Devadi

Suncity

September 7th, 2009, 06:07 PM

If Infosys was really serious about tapping the potential of Bengal, why couldn't it settle for a couple of twenty storey sleek towers with green technology?

IT hub scrapping sad day for West Bengal: Infosys

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/IT-hub-scrapping-sad-day-for-West-Bengal-Infosys/articleshow/4983232.cms

Infosys board member T V Mohandas Pai on Monday said the West Bengal government's decision to scrap a proposed IT hub project on the
capital's northeastern fringes was a "sad day" for the state.

"It is a very sad day for West Bengal. The projects in the IT hub would have generated large number of jobs for the educated middle class youth of the state," Pai, who is also director of human resource at the IT bellwether, told a regional news channel Chabbish Ghonta.

Companies like Infosy, Wipro, ITC Infotech had chalked out plans to set up units in the proposed IT hub.

Terming the decision by the state government as "totally not the right thing to do," Pai said the project could have generated 50,000-100,000 jobs.

The proposed IT township at Rajarhat near Salt Lake had become controversial following allegations that land sharks - allegedly backed by promoters of Vedic Realty - had been involved in land acquisition.

"The government should take the pivotal role in land acquisition for any important project," Pai said.

West Bengal scraps IT township; Infy disappointed

http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/business/west-bengal-scraps-it-township-infy-disappointed/414525

Here is a verbatim transcript of Mohandas Pai’s exclusive interview on CNBC-TV18. Also watch the accompanying video.

Q: What is your first reaction to the government scrapping the land deal for an IT township in Rajarhat? You were one of those who were promised something. Could you take us through the details? How much land were you originally promised?

A: We had signed an MoU for about 100 acres of land committed to make investment of about Rs 250 crore for about 5,000 jobs. This had been in the works for the last three years. Today, we have seen press reports that the government has scrapped it. We feel rather sad about it because we thought that there will be high quality employment created in Kolkata. Kolkata would become a centre in the East and East will become vibrant again for IT. So, to an extent I think it is a big disappointment.

Q: You are saying you have seen press reports. Has the government not been in touch with you? Is there now any scope for discussions with what has already happened? Have they indicated to you that they would offer you an alternate piece of land to actually go ahead with your plans? What have you heard from them?

A: I think that is ruled out because all indications from the government are that there is no land at all. The government earlier too kept it in abeyance because they had no land. Now, this is also gone. There is no land to build campuses. So, I guess this is the end of the road for whatever was promised to us.

Q: How significant is this project and this facility to Infosys in your scheme of things?

A: I would say that as far as we are concerned, we have enough capacity all over the country. We are about 100,000 seats and 5,000 seats is not going to make a difference to us. We will expand in other cities. We will go to West Bengal and hire young and bright people. We will do that. So, to an extent we are not going to be hurt. But I feel sad for the state and especially the young people in the state because most people would like to live and work in their own state. To an extent that that would happen, it is sad.

West Bengal will be left out of IT boom: Congress

http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/48138.htm

Kolkata, Sep 7 (IANS) With West Bengal’s Left Front government scrapping the proposed 1,200-acre IT township project near here, Congress leader Manas Bhuniya Monday lamented that youths of the state would not be able to see the light of the IT boom.

“This decision to scrap the project will again push back West Bengal in industrialisation. Thousands of young people of our state will ultimately suffer due to this decision,” state Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Bhuniya told a media meet here.

Holding Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee responsible for the “mess”, he demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Vedic Village land controversy that has led to the scrapping of the IT project at Rajarhat in Kolkata’s northeastern fringes.

“The Vedic Village land controversy has brought out the deep nexus of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres with the administration and the local mafia over the land handover issue.

“We think until and unless the CBI carries out an enquiry, the fact will not surface before the common people. I’ll talk to the senior leadership of the Congress regarding the issue,” he added.

Caught in a bind, ‘wise’ Trinamool shies away from CBI probe

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/caught-in-a-bind-wise-trinamool-shies-away-from-cbi-probe/511693/

The alleged involvement of Trinamool Congress MLA Arabul Islam in the Vedic Village arson has put the party on the backfoot.
During a protest organised by the Trinamool in Kolkata on Wednesday against the land-grabbing charges that have surfaced in the Vedic Village episode, the party did not demand a CBI inquiry and instead sought a white paper from the Left Front government on various land deals.

“What happened in Vedic Village is fit to be charged under the Arms Act and it is not fit for a CBI probe,” said Trinamool leader Partho Chatterjee.

When asked why the party is not demanding a CBI inquiry, Chatterjee said: “Experience has made us wiser. The state government will never do it. Therefore it is futile to make such demand.” He refuted allegations that his party had some role in the resort as some of its members were part of the committees that dealt with land acquisition in Rajarhat. “So what if our men are in some committees. We are a part of various standing committees of the Assembly but that does not mean we are in league with the government. This is to ensure that our voice is heard,” said Chatterjee.

He added: “We want a white paper from the state government on how much land has been given to whom. Like they did in Nandigram and Singur, they are doing it in Rajarhat. Around 10 lakh people have been rendered helpless after their land was taken. Around 12,000 acres of agricultural land has been snatched from people.”

The Trinamool, however, deflected questions on launching an internal inquiry into Islam’s role. “If there is any valid complaint against anyone of our party, we know what to do,” Chatterjee said. Amid this the government today said it has no information on Islam’s brother. “If we were aware of his whereabouts, we would have arrested him,” said Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen.

Babji

September 7th, 2009, 06:09 PM

Suncity

September 7th, 2009, 06:16 PM

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Indicators/W-Bengal-may-lose-IT-bonanza-as-Vedic-Village-plan-collapses/articleshow/4979916.cms

Incidentally, in last Friday’s CPIM state secretariat meeting, housing minister Goutam Deb had informed the party leadership that it will explore the possibility of allotting land to Infosys and Wipro in Rajarhat. However, many in the state government believe that such a move will queer the pitch further since companies like TCS have shelled out Rs 1.5 crore per acre, which is well over what Wipro and Infosys wish to pay.

Elaborating, a state official said: “The state government had recently allotted land to TCS at Rajarhat for a whopping Rs 1.5 crore per acre. If it now decides to allot land to Infosys and Wipro in the same vicinity at their preferred rate of Rs 60 lakh per acre, there is every possibility that TCS may drag the state to court. In that case, even the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) can pull up the state for offering land at differential rates to companies in the same location.”

Suncity

September 7th, 2009, 06:19 PM

Infosys once went once on record to say that it was their policy/practice to invest in large land based properties, in order to ensure future financial security for their staff and their company, as the IT companies' other assets are not worth much in a tough economic situation ... their most valuable resources are human resources ... (liquidity and cash flow type issues)

So they may as well change their name to Infosys Real Estate and IT.

:)

They are not only asking for huge land tract, but also in prime area and at cheap price.

The government also needs to think innovatively. Maybe they should demolish all the huge government bhavans in Salt Lake and send the employees home (let them get paid for no work sitting at home - at least that will reduce the rush hour traffic). They can then allot the land to non polluting, employment generating companies.

j/k

Babji

September 7th, 2009, 06:21 PM

it looks like there is still a lot of scope to arrive at a resolution ...
let us hope, some positive solution would work out ...

Suncity

September 7th, 2009, 06:33 PM

it looks like there is still a lot of scope to arrive at a resolution ...
let us hope, some positive solution would work out ...

Yes, there is always hope. However considering the majority of old school CPM has deep roots in opposition to development, industrialization and aversion to the Information Technology sector, I am not sure that the national politburo is that upset. Also West Bengal is now blessed with Miss Mao-mata and her "budhijeebi sango pangos" - who seem to be even more radically left than the commies.

Babji

September 7th, 2009, 06:38 PM

arijeetb

September 7th, 2009, 09:09 PM

what are the chances of allotting some of the land yet-to-be released by the TATAs to Infosys - kind of two birds in one shot ...
TATAs get their money, Infosys gets their land, ppl get their jobs and the Govt gets the credit ....

^^Singur is too far from Kolkata. There is also no infrastructure besides just the NH-02 to support tech sector.

Suncity

September 8th, 2009, 01:54 AM

anirban_ban

September 8th, 2009, 03:50 AM

Shapoorji, DLF, RMZ, Unitech are all building IT complexes in New Town. West Bengal government should try to attract more IT companies to set up shop in these complexes. While Infosys may think that it is beyond their dignity to lease space in these complexes, other companies may not have the same inhibitions.

I think Suncity is absolutely correct and I also approve the scrapping of 90 acres of land for employment of 5000 people.
If IBM can work in Millenium City and DLF, and Capgemini can work in a one off building, why does Infy and Wipro need massive land in prime area ?

Babji

September 8th, 2009, 04:18 AM

mountaincloud

September 8th, 2009, 04:29 AM

I think Suncity is absolutely correct and I also approve the scrapping of 90 acres of land for employment of 5000 people.
If IBM can work in Millenium City and DLF, and Capgemini can work in a one off building, why does Infy and Wipro need massive land in prime area ?
mark my words.... IT majors will come back. They have no choice. Infosys wants to make their campuses like hotel compounds because their prime assets are human. They think if they make neat, sprawling campuses the employees will be happy in that "USA" like surrounding. Definitely they are in the real estate business.

ribose_dna

September 8th, 2009, 04:51 AM

I am sure Mamata will somehow manage to blame all of this on the govt. And those ditto heads masquerading as intellectuals and media too. :bash:

As I said after the parliamentary election: R.I.P. the dream of a developed WB. :cry:

Suncity

September 8th, 2009, 05:19 AM

I am sure Mamata will somehow manage to blame all of this on the govt. And those ditto heads masquerading as intellectuals and media too. :bash:

She already has and her faithful band of journalists are parrotting her tunes. The self declared intellectuals must be toasting each other with bottles of imported wine as they rub their hands in glee about one more step towards everybody in Bengal singing polli geeti, cooking with ghunte and drinking cholai - ahh - the blissful Bengal in their revolutionary thoughts.

khilani003

September 8th, 2009, 07:20 AM

Below is how our very own Eden Gardens is gonna look for the 2011 WC

http://www.burthill.com/FILES/projects/733_550/Eden_Garden_2.jpg

Thanks for posting. Great to FINALLY see what will be happening on this project.

Came across one of the other entries in the competition from Research Design Office (http://researchdesignoffice.com/) who teamed with Tom Leader, Ove Arup, and REX.

http://researchdesignoffice.com/design/k09-015/03.jpg

Can't seem to find images of the HOK scheme though.

arijeetb

September 8th, 2009, 07:43 AM

^^ that is true. that is one way of looking at it.
at the same time, we all know that GoWB made promises and won over this Infosys project, against stiff competition from AP, Chennai and KA.
when a state wants some biggie to come over and open a big shop, the biggie comes with big expectations too ...
thats what is going on among Indian states in the recent past when they want to woo big ticket IT shops ...
5000 IT jobs could works wonders to the economy and overall dev of the city and state for a long time ...
I don't see any thing wrong with Infosys reaction to this situation...

^^yes, it is the issue of failing to deliver on commitment. Infy, Wipro etc have their so-called tradition of building sprawls and not leasing out and if they are adamant to stick to their stand nothing can be done. There is approx 2M sqft currently U/C with reputed developers such as RMZ, Godrej, Infinity, Unitech, Shapporji etc and Infy can lease out to begin with and then work something out.
The main ones currently U/C including total area
Infospace - 50 acres
RMZ Ecospace - 20 acres
SP Infocity - 50 acres

In addition there is a 120 acre IT zone being developed in Bantala. Cognizant is expected to start operations from their first phase after Puja.

I think GoWB should think of selling the successes of IBM, Cognizant, Cap Gemini etc and invite more MNCs & captive centers to setup shop here. It is sad that Accenture & EDS do not yet have a presence in the state.