Kolkata Beautification Projects

[AbhishekDatta]

Interesting news is representative from Arup which is a major Constuction/Planning firm visited Kolkata along with Lord Mayor of London this month... they are the same group who created Singapore flyer...

[mountaincloud]

Originally Posted by AbhishekDatta

Interesting news is representative from Arup which is a major Constuction/Planning firm visited Kolkata along with Lord Mayor of London this month... they are the same group who created Singapore flyer...

the singapore flyer is really nice. but i wonder how many good proposals they might get in such a short notice. did they advertise widely in major newspapers or other outlets?

[AbhishekDatta]

It says about the proposed Kolkata Eye on a 4 acre land of HRBC. Many renowned companies have responded to the tender which will be opened next month.The construction seems to be completed by 2014 if there is no interruption.

প্রস্তুতি শুরু, এ বার চোখ মেলবে ‘কলকাতা আই’
রঞ্জন সেনগুপ্ত
কলকাতাকে লন্ডনের ধাঁচে গড়ে তোলার পথে আরও এক ধাপ এগোল মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের সরকার। রাজ্য সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে, গঙ্গার ধারে ‘কলকাতা আই’ গড়ে তোলা হবে। ঠিক যেমন টেমস নদীর তীরে ‘লন্ডন আই’। প্রকল্পের জন্য চিহ্নিত করা হয়েছে দ্বিতীয় হুগলি সেতুর নীচে, হাওড়ার দিকে হুগলি রিভার ব্রিজ কমিশন (এইচআরবিসি)-এর ৪ একর জমি। এই বিশাল নাগরদোলায় চেপে ছোঁয়া যাবে মহানগরীর আকাশরেখাকে।
লন্ডনের আদলে কলকাতার শ্রী ফেরাতে শুরু থেকেই তৎপর মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। শহরে পর্যটক টানতে ব্রিটিশরা যেমন টেমস নদীকে বেছে নিয়েছেন, মমতাও তেমনই ‘পাখির চোখ’ করেছেন গঙ্গাকে। দূষণের দায়ে কাঠগড়ায় থাকা গঙ্গার সৌন্দর্যায়নে এখন একাধিক পদক্ষেপ করছে রাজ্য। তারই অন্যতম এই ‘কলকাতা আই’।

প্রকল্প রূপায়ণে ইতিমধ্যেই মাঠে নেমে পড়েছে প্রশাসন। আন্তর্জাতিক টেন্ডারে সাড়া দিয়েছে বহু সংস্থা। মহাকরণ সূত্রে খবর, তাদের মধ্যে রয়েছে লন্ডন, সিঙ্গাপুরের বিশেষজ্ঞ সংস্থাও। নভেম্বরে টেন্ডার খোলার পরে সব দিক বিবেচনা করে বরাত দেওয়া হবে। সরকারের আশা, আগামী বছরের শুরুতে নির্মাণ শুরু হয়ে যাবে। একটানা কাজ হলে ২০১৪ সালে চালু হয়ে যাবে ‘কলকাতা আই’।
‘লন্ডন আই’ তৈরি হয় ১৯৯৯ সালে। সমুদ্রপৃষ্ঠ থেকে ১৩৫ মিটার উচ্চতার ওই নাগরদোলার ৩২টি কেবিনে (ক্যাপসুল) একসঙ্গে ৮০০ লোক উঠতে পারেন। তাতে চেপে এক বার চক্কর দিতে সময় লাগে আধ ঘণ্টা। বলা হয়, ‘লন্ডন আই’-তে না উঠলে পর্যটকদের লন্ডন ভ্রমণ অসম্পূর্ণ থাকে।


টেম্স থেকে দেখা ‘লন্ডন আই’। ছবি: বুধাদিত্য বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়
পর্যটকদের কাছে ‘কলকাতা আই’-এর আকর্ষণও সেই পর্যায়ে পৌঁছে দিতে চায় নতুন সরকার। নকশা অনুযায়ী, ১৫০ থেকে ১৮০ মিটার উঁচু এই নাগরদোলায় একত্রে অন্তত ৫০০ জন উঠতে পারবেন। ৩০-টির মতো কাচের কেবিনের এই নাগরদোলা এক বার চক্কর দিতে সময় নেবে প্রায় এক ঘণ্টা।
সরকারের এক মুখপাত্র জানান, যৌথ উদ্যোগে তৈরি ‘কলকাতা আই’ থেকে বিপুল রাজস্ব আদায়ের সম্ভাবনা থাকায় কেন্দ্রীয় পর্যটন মন্ত্রক সর্বাধিক ৫০ কোটি টাকা ভর্তুকি দেবে। বিনামূল্যের জমিটি হবে সরকারের অংশীদারিত্ব। প্রকল্প গড়বে বেসরকারি সংস্থা। তারা বিনিয়োগের টাকা তুলবে বি ও টি পদ্ধতিতে।
প্রকল্প সম্পর্কে রাজ্যের নগরোন্নয়নমন্ত্রী ফিরহাদ হাকিম বলেন, “মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর ভাবনা এবং উৎসাহেই আমরা এটা করতে পারছি।”
অন্য দিকে, টেমসের আদলে গঙ্গার সৌন্দর্যায়ন প্রকল্পকে স্বাগত জানিয়েছেন ভারতে ব্রিটেনের বিদায়ী হাইকমিশনার রিচার্ড স্ট্যাগ। এ ব্যাপারে ব্রিটেনের তরফে রাজ্যের পাশে দাঁড়ানোর আশ্বাস দেন তিনি। সোমবার মহাকরণে রাজ্যের অর্থমন্ত্রী অমিত মিত্রের সঙ্গেও বৈঠক করেন এই ব্রিটিশ কূটনীতিক। স্ট্যাগ বলেন, “নতুন সরকার সম্ভাবনার নয়া সুযোগ তৈরি করেছে। আমরা সেই সুযোগ নিতে আগ্রহী।”

http://www.anandabazar.com/25cal3.html

but I don't understand why it is on the Howrah side!!!

[studdmanster]

[Deb_S]

WOW, so if all goes well, we are going to get another landmark in this historic city

[Joy_ghosh02]

But why it is in Howrah side ??????????????????????????????????

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by Joy_ghosh02

But why it is in Howrah side ??????????????????????????????????

Because the land is there.

The good thing is Howrah will get a landmark.

The bad thing is - the area is not at all nice unless they do a comprehensive development. The political parties and leaders in Howrah are the worst of the worst in West Bengal. They have no vision and the fact that the city has no administration worth calling an administration makes matters worse.

Howrah should be brought under Kolkata Police and KMC immediately.

Also the views from Howrah may not be as spectacular as the view from the Kolkata side. The congested Howrah areas are not a pretty sight.

[Joy_ghosh02]

Exactly thats my point Sun....................................

[sidney_jec]

Originally Posted by Suncity

Because the land is there.

The good thing is Howrah will get a landmark.

The bad thing is - the area is not at all nice unless they do a comprehensive development. The political parties and leaders in Howrah are the worst of the worst in West Bengal. They have no vision and the fact that the city has no administration worth calling an administration makes matters worse.

Howrah should be brought under Kolkata Police and KMC immediately.

Also the views from Howrah may not be as spectacular as the view from the Kolkata side. The congested Howrah areas are not a pretty sight.

or may be it would be a blessing in disguise. it may (very hopeful, fingers crossed) result in an improvement of the civic infrastructure at least around that place. Plus if its on the Howrah side you would get an unhindered view of the better part of the Howrah-Kolkata duo

[AbhishekDatta]

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

or may be it would be a blessing in disguise. it may (very hopeful, fingers crossed) result in an improvement of the civic infrastructure at least around that place. Plus if its on the Howrah side you would get an unhindered view of the better part of the Howrah-Kolkata duo

even then I am little disappointed with the land allocated...

[BengaliTiger]

Date of submission of expression of interest for Kolkata Eye has been extended to 14.11.2011.

[BengaliTiger]

Seems like Mamata di's vision of turning Digha into Goa, Kolkata into London and Darjeeling and Dooars into Switzerland is turning into reality.

Just imagine playing Golf in Tiger Hill during sunrise / sunset.... I loved the Tea Museum concept and tenting, luxury tents may be something in the lines of Ranthambore can be put up.

[samrat_m]

The Ferris wheel could have been set up in the riverside marina along Strand rd in the Kolkata side itself. Setting it up on Howrah side, and as Sun rightfully pointed the reasons, is a mistake.

[AbhishekDatta]

Thats cool!!

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by samrat_m

The Ferris wheel could have been set up in the riverside marina along Strand rd in the Kolkata side itself. Setting it up on Howrah side, and as Sun rightfully pointed the reasons, is a mistake.

One big reason could be presence of Fort William on Kolkata side.

[niljee]

This government has got all the priorities mixed up..or may be its just taking the short cuts...the Kolkata Eye should wait..one of the first steps should be to free up the roads and footpaths from extensive and indiscriminate encroachments with shanties/jhuggies all over..every major road in the city looks ugly and impossible to navigate because of these encroachers....unless they are evicted/rehabilitated and people are allowed to walk freely in the city every other fancy beautification effort like Kolkata Eye or the Trishul lights would only be cosmetics changes...

[BengaliTiger]

Originally Posted by niljee

This government has got all the priorities mixed up..or may be its just taking the short cuts...the Kolkata Eye should wait..one of the first steps should be to free up the roads and footpaths from extensive and indiscriminate encroachments with shanties/jhuggies all over..every major road in the city looks ugly and impossible to navigate because of these encroachers....unless they are evicted/rehabilitated and people are allowed to walk freely in the city every other fancy beautification effort like Kolkata Eye or the Trishul lights would only be cosmetics changes...

That can never happen niljee. The hawkers has a legal right to sell things on pavements, subjected to certain restrictions though. Moreover, these hawkers constitute a major chunk of the vote bank, so the politicians will never touch them. The only good thing is that Kolkata is having a negative population growth rate, a thing you can cheer for. With time we may see these people (encroachers) move to other cities in search of jobs, as Kolkata may get saturated with jobs with time.

[AbhishekDatta]

Originally Posted by niljee

This government has got all the priorities mixed up..or may be its just taking the short cuts...the Kolkata Eye should wait..one of the first steps should be to free up the roads and footpaths from extensive and indiscriminate encroachments with shanties/jhuggies all over..every major road in the city looks ugly and impossible to navigate because of these encroachers....unless they are evicted/rehabilitated and people are allowed to walk freely in the city every other fancy beautification effort like Kolkata Eye or the Trishul lights would only be cosmetics changes...

and why do u think that they have mixed up their priorities...do u mean all the other ministries should seal their offices and wait till the home dept sends police and kicks out hawkers!!! I really want like u that our roads become free of any encroachments but can u enlighten us how u going to remove around a million people and how u rehabilitate them overnight....if that was so easy what stopped earlier govt. from cleaning the mess up,i am sure they also wanted that...i am not sure if u saw the report that Bankim Setu in Howrah is free of hawker now first time in several decades...this problem is part of our economy and will disappear one day because of it...once the rural economy and semi urban economy grow it will eventually choke the supply of hawkers..but its a slow process and linked to our overall growth...instances which u are referring as short cuts can do wonder if done by competent companies... there are many instances where one such short cuts paved the way for many good things..e.g NY SOL...is it something special!!!not at all...but its how u create a hype and market it...and look how many people are coming to see it...even there are returning tourists who in-spite of their believe that there is nothing special they revisit..there are many instances like that... let's hope for the best

[sidney_jec]

agreed. the work should be carried out in parallel to the other socio-economic upliftment. If we wait for one to get over we will never be able to start with the other revenue generating ideas which believe it or not are very necessary for the sustainability of the finances of the govt.

[AbhishekDatta]

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

agreed. the work should be carried out in parallel to the other socio-economic upliftment. If we wait for one to get over we will never be able to start with the other revenue generating ideas which believe it or not are very necessary for the sustainability of the finances of the govt.

that's the whole point...it will be built by private companies and operated by them so firstly its not going to cost bengal exchequer directly and secondly it may open several tourist attraction in the city eventually filling govt pocket...even sometime I feel probably west bengal is the only state in India and perhaps in many other countries where u have such a huge riverfront,a sea,world famous mangroves jungle,famous hill,historical pilgrimage all at one place... wonder when they will be fully utilized...