Kolkata Project Update II - project news from Kolkata

[globalthinker]

Infosys and Wipro bought land in New Town last year. Does anyone know if the construction has started or at least if there is any proposed plan to start work there ?

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by krishanu

Good if the 2 WB s collaborate a bit more ...



http://www.telegraphindia.com/111060...y_14065540.jsp

The headline of the news article is "World Bank signals Bengal".

Some of the news:

Originally Posted by TT

The World Bank has cleared a $975-million (Rs 4,387 crore) loan for a pet rail project of Mamata Banerjee, the funds signal flashing at a time Bengal is on the lookout for affordable funds. The loan is meant for the first phase (Ludhiana-Mughal Sarai) of a dedicated high-speed freight corridor that will eventually link Calcutta and Delhi.

The World Bank will finance around 1,100 km of the 1,800 Km Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor [Ludhiana-Delhi-Mughal Sarai] in three phases. In the first phase, World Bank has approved the loan for the 343 kilometre stretch between Khurja to Kanpur section.

Looks like the Mughal Sarai to Dankuni section has not been included yet. It was the extension to Dankuni that was Miss Banerjee's gift to Bengal and a very logical move as well [the earlier decision to end it in Bihar was another example of IR's politically motivated decisions]. So in a way her "pet" project is actually hanging for now. Hopefully the World Bank or GOI or whoever will quickly approve and tie up funding for it.

Originally Posted by TT

But those familiar with the World Bank’s operations suggested that the approval could be more of a message to cash-starved Bengal than mere funding for an infrastructure project. “Lenders are always quick to announce loans for borrowers who could get them more business,” a finance ministry official said in Delhi.

How is approval of loan to Indian Railways/Central Govt a "signal" to Bengal?

Originally Posted by TT

It has given loans to Bihar as well as Orissa but a chance to come to the rescue of Bengal, where the Left once used to berate the lending agency, will be a public relations feather in the bank’s cap.

I believe that the World Bank has already given loan to West Bengal last year. So the feather is already added.

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by globalthinker

Infosys and Wipro bought land in New Town last year. Does anyone know if the construction has started or at least if there is any proposed plan to start work there ?

Wipro I think announced plans. Infosys hasn't. The new industry minister has said there are some issues and he will be looking into them and speed up the solutions. I think we have a youtube posting in one of the threads of the new industry/IT minister's views.

[SamitB]

Originally Posted by globalthinker

Infosys and Wipro bought land in New Town last year. Does anyone know if the construction has started or at least if there is any proposed plan to start work there ?

Recently In an internal AskCEO Portal,Many questions has been asked regarding creating many Development Centres in NCR/Kolkata.
.........Answer was--(a)After Chandigarh/Jaipur no more campus will come in NCR region in near future.
(b)After getting all the necessary clearances campus construction in kolkata will happen within 6-8 months w.e.f May'2011.
(c)Earlier in Jan'2010 it was answered in a Townhall with CEO..... Approach road to Land has not been built yet,once it is built we will start the
construction.

Few days ago... news came as "approach road to Wipro Campus is ready"

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by SamitB

Recently In an internal AskCEO Portal,Many questions has been asked regarding creating many Development Centres in NCR/Kolkata.
.........Answer was--(a)After Chandigarh/Jaipur no more campus will come in NCR region in near future.
(b)After getting all the necessary clearances campus construction in kolkata will happen within 6-8 months w.e.f May'2011.
(c)Earlier in Jan'2010 it was answered in a Townhall with CEO..... Approach road to Land has not been built yet,once it is built we will start the
construction.

Few days ago... news came as "approach road to Wipro Campus is ready"

[SarafIndian]

Originally Posted by SamitB

Recently In an internal AskCEO Portal,Many questions has been asked regarding creating many Development Centres in NCR/Kolkata.
.........Answer was--(a)After Chandigarh/Jaipur no more campus will come in NCR region in near future.
(b)After getting all the necessary clearances campus construction in kolkata will happen within 6-8 months w.e.f May'2011.
(c)Earlier in Jan'2010 it was answered in a Townhall with CEO..... Approach road to Land has not been built yet,once it is built we will start the
construction.

Few days ago... news came as "approach road to Wipro Campus is ready"

Nice. Thanks for the update

[abhishek_sadhya]

HI ALL,

Yesterday saw FORUM Groups Board next to the Science City & Expo (where all real estate shows happen). I guess thats "ATMOSPHERE''. Not only the board, Some land levelling vehicles, Site office could be seen from outside. It would be gr8 to see the "ATMOSPHERE'' rise.

Saw another Board near the Viswakarma Building Crossing diagonally opposite to Viswakarma Building - TIRUMALA 22 of Mani Group. Office Space.

From some personal source, came to know South City Infrastructure Tower is also on its way.

[studdmanster]

Originally Posted by abhishek_sadhya

HI ALL,

Yesterday saw FORUM Groups Board next to the Science City & Expo (where all real estate shows happen). I guess thats "ATMOSPHERE''. Not only the board, Some land levelling vehicles, Site office could be seen from outside. It would be gr8 to see the "ATMOSPHERE'' rise.

Yes, it is the Atmosphere's site, i guess they are doing some site preperations!!

Originally Posted by abhishek_sadhya

Saw another Board near the Viswakarma Building Crossing diagonally opposite to Viswakarma Building - TIRUMALA 22 of Mani Group. Office Space.

U mean opposite Merc's showroom??

Originally Posted by abhishek_sadhya

From some personal source, came to know South City Infrastructure Tower is also on its way.

Yes, work is under, already 3/4 levels have come up!!...its beside Emami Tower...the building would be of 15 levels!!

[sumang007]

ADB to assist KMC beautify Kolkata
3 June 2011
tarun goswami
KOLKATA, 3 JUNE: In yet another step to turn the city to London, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will take financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to begin the phase II of Kolkata Environment Improvement Project (KEIP).
A five- team from ADB is coming to the city late this month to help project preparation and technical assistance. The team will carry out intensive study in the city and suggest the areas where works should be carried out to improve infrastructure. The mayor Mr Sovan Chatterjee today went to the office of KEIP on AJC Bose Road and held meeting with the senior officials. In phase I extensive work was carried out to strengthen the sewer line in Jadavpur, Behala and Garden Reach known as the added areas in KMC parlance. Several pumping stations to clear accumulated water have been set up in the added areas and some canals were cleaned. A senior civic official said now the thrust will be to improve infrastructure and beautify the main city. It may be mentioned here that the KMC has already taken up the beautification of BBD Bag and its adjoining areas. The pavements will be repaired and new tiles will be installed. The old lamp posts will be replaced by decorative ones having heritage look.
It may be recalled that while providing financial assistance while providing funds for KEIP phase I, ADB had suggested that KMC's assessment system should be made transparent and water meters be installed to repay the loan. Though Trinamul Congress-Congress-led state government has decided not to install water meters, steps have already been taken to make the assessment system transparent by introducing the unit area assessment (UAA) method. The new method of assessing property tax would be implemented soon. Civic officials said this would help the KMC bag the financial assistance from ADB.

Source: The Statesman

[avishar]

Any renders of South City infrastructure tower and Tirumala 22?Is it going to be 22 storeys high?

[studdmanster]

Here u go....



there are plans of two more corporate building to be built on EMB, however, renders are yet to come!!

[Souvik_N]

Originally Posted by SamitB

Recently In an internal AskCEO Portal,Many questions has been asked regarding creating many Development Centres in NCR/Kolkata.
.........Answer was--(a)After Chandigarh/Jaipur no more campus will come in NCR region in near future.
(b)After getting all the necessary clearances campus construction in kolkata will happen within 6-8 months w.e.f May'2011.
(c)Earlier in Jan'2010 it was answered in a Townhall with CEO..... Approach road to Land has not been built yet,once it is built we will start the
construction.

Few days ago... news came as "approach road to Wipro Campus is ready"

So you are from Infy BBSR ...

[SamitB]

Hello Bata, ta-ta land

anindita chowdhury
KOLKATA, 4 JUNE: A Statesman investigation has unearthed a potentially huge land scam in the former Left Front government's Rs 1,500-crore plan for the rejuvenation of the Bata India plant on the city's southern outskirts by “freeing up” 262 acres of “excess land” in the 309-acre Batanagar manufacturing unit at Maheshtala, South 24-Parganas, which is among the largest of its kind in India.
Under the garb of the industrialisation drive launched by former chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, a consortium called Riverbank Holdings comprising Bata India and property developer Mr Sumit Dabriwal's United Belani Credit Group, which along with the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) formed a joint venture company Calcutta Metro Group Limited (CMGL) to develop the excess land and plough back a share of the profits into the sick Bata unit, has been allowed to escape the social infrastructure clauses of the redevelopment as well as keep more land in its kitty than had been allotted to it under the original agreement.
The cover-up can be traced to the very top of the previous regime. Mr Bhattacharjee put off action against the official ~ the then district magistrate of South 24-Parganas Mr Khalil Ahmed ~ accused by his own administration of "illegally" favouring the private developer by unilaterally “waiving” the social infrastructure clauses. Former land and land reforms minister Mr Abdur Rezzak Mollah, after initially pressing for an explanation from the official, changed tack under party pressure and asked for the deal to be “regularised”. Former urban development minister Mr Asok Bhattacharya, to whom the former DM was said to be "close", too cannot escape responsibility as KMDA has a 12.5 per cent stake in CMGL.
Mr Ahmed waived two crucial conditions attached to the deal for the revival of the Bata plant ~ that a 500-bed hospital and a higher secondary school would have to be built and developed by the private consortium on approximately 90 acres (of the 262) that was reserved for the building of “social infrastructure”. The land and land reforms department under Mr Mollah found out about this waiver and wanted to issue a show-cause notice to the DM; the state's chief secretary at the time too recommended action against the official and Mr Bhattacharjee initially seemed to acquiesce. But then the file was called back by Mr Mollah and he recommended regularisation of the deal. Though the chief secretary stood his ground on show-causing the district magistrate, the chief minister's office sat on the file before finally returning it to the land department with verbal instructions that it should be “put up only after the (2011 Assembly) election”.
The state Cabinet had cleared the Bata unit revival proposal in February 2006, allowing the use of excess land in Batanagar for real estate development in the form of an “integrated residential project”. The decision was, at the time, hailed as a landmark as it was expected to pave the way for the use of land locked in sick industrial units for their rejuvenation. Rs 100 crore was to be ploughed back into Bata India for its resurrection from the profits that accrued from developing the excess land.
In theory, there was to be no free lunch for the private player ~ the developer was to construct a hospital with 500 beds on 12 acres of land, a higher secondary school for local residents on 20 acres of land, an industrial park on another 15 acres of land, construction of roads and other transport infrastructure on another 30 acres of land, and other utilities were to be built on 12.5 acres of land. But when residents saw no sign of either the hospital or the school four years after the deal was cleared, they complained to the land and land reforms minister, who in turn wrote to Bata India.
A meeting was called which was attended by Mr Dabriwal, managing director of Riverbank Holdings, where it emerged that the DM had handed over to the private developer a letter dated 19 January 2010 stating that Mr Dabriwal should transfer 13.2 acres of land back to the government. Shortly thereafter, within a couple of days in fact, two gift deeds were enacted by the developer wherein 13 acres of land was returned to the state government (through the Collector). The gift deeds stated: "Bata has been relieved absolutely and forever of the obligations of 4A (i) and (ii) (building the hospital and school)". So, not only were the developers allowed to renege on their social infrastructure development commitments but were also allowed to keep 19 acres "extra" with themselves as the school and hospital were to be build on 32 acres according to the agreement and they returned only 13 acres.
Indeed, the agreement further provided for the private developers to spend approximately Rs 37 crore on social infrastructure with a Rs 25 crore exemption from the government on fulfilment of their commitments.
Mr Mollah who had been adamant about taking action initially, also effected a U-turn, apparently under pressure from his party, going as far as to recommend that the writing off of the clauses be regularised. "Officials of the land department are just trying to implicate Khalil (Ahmed). The private player was planning to set up a posh school. Our former MP Mr Shamik Lahiri and I had a meeting with the developer and decided they should return the land where government will set up a school and a hospital for common people. But no minutes were recorded and that is why questions are being raised," Mr Mollah told The Statesman. Mr Ahmed, incidentally, is no greenhorn, having served as district magistrate in two districts ~ Birbhum and Howrah ~ before being transferred to South 24-Parganas in 2008 where, having successfully stalled transfers on at least three occasions allegedly with the help of the ruling Marxists, he served till October 2010 before being moved out. He is at present director, micro and small-scale enterprises department.

[Suncity]

The "masterplan" from a 2007 post

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

Dont know whether these have been posted before..

Calcutta Riverside Masterplan

There has been some "controversy" regarding the deal. Here is a old article from 2006

Township nod with terms

http://www.telegraphindia.com/106021...ry_5848582.asp

Graphic

Land and land reforms minister Abdur Rezzak Molla unveiled the government decision, saying that Bata India Limited, which is in possession of the land on lease from the state, would be required to fulfil a range of social and economic obligations.

“I spent a lot of time and energy working out this deal. So, I know what I’m doing,” Molla said when a few of his cabinet colleagues tried to raise points at a meeting today. “This discussion on the Batanagar proposal is strictly between me and the chief minister.”

at today’s cabinet meeting, several ministers objected to what they described as a “big waiver” to a healthy multinational, Bata. “They got the land cheap,” said PWD minister Amar Chowdhury.

“Don’t come into the picture, you may find the subject difficult to handle,” Molla told him.

Molla spoke with the authority of someone who had himself opposed the project. He contested the agreement between Bata and CMGL on the ground that the shoe company did not have the right to convert or transfer the land under the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act as it belonged to the government.

Molla’s department worked out a package (see chart) of social and economic commitments Bata would be required to fulfil after acknowledging that the land belonged to the government.

Around 74 acres will be used for the township, 88 acres for social infrastructure, 80 acres for a golf course and another 12 acres for an industrial park.

Bata will have to invest Rs 100 crore over seven years in its operations in the state or give the money to the government for failing to do so.

[Suncity]

So if I understood the Statesman article correct:

Statesman claims: School + Hospital = 32 acres
2007 masterplan posted in SSC India: School + Hospital = 15 acres;

Stateman claims: 13 acres were returned after a meeting in 2010 - the company allegedly got "benefit" of 19 acres of land (32-13).

Statesman claims: The company would not spend the money to build the hospital and school.
As per the CR website: there are plans to build a school and superspeciality hospital.

so pretty interesting case.

[Suncity]

Do we really need a film city? Why not something like Shukhobrishti on this side of the Hooghly?

Tolly trio visit plot for film city

http://www.telegraphindia.com/111060...y_14076681.jsp

Three Tollywood representatives tasked with carrying forward an attempt to set up a film city have identified an Uttarpara plot where a similar effort had failed a few years ago allegedly because of squatters.

Actors Ranjit Mallick and Dipankar De and director Haranath Chakraborty visited the 150-acre (450 bighas) plot, around 15km from the city, on Sunday. Mayor Sovan Chatterjee accompanied the team.

The civic body had in 2007 decided to transfer the plot to private parties on a long-term lease through an open bidding. Around the same time, actor Prosenjit had approached then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for 400 bighas to set up a film city. Bhattacharjee wanted the facility to come up on the Uttarpara land.

“But the plan had to be shelved as there were squatters on the plot,” Prosenjit told Metro on Sunday.

“This is an ideal place for a film city. We have liked the land and will form a committee to decide on the matter and submit a report to the government,” said Mallick, a member of the team formed by Mamata Banerjee to set up a film city. De and Chakraborty are among the other members.

Mayor Chatterjee nodded in agreement, saying: “The brick kilns will be removed”. He stressed the civic body would hand over the plot to the chief minister “without any condition” if the Tolly team chose it for the film city.

He suggested that a part of the plot be used to set up a fire station and a water treatment plant while the film city could come up on the rest.

Director Chakraborty dubbed the proposed film city Mamata’s “dream” project. Actor De said the film city would have sets, proper make-up rooms, provisions for night stay and other facilities.

Prosenjit, too, is happy at the revival of the plan. “A proper film city will immediately put Bengal on the Indian entertainment map.”

Aren't there two film cities under development - Purple Town and another one (it was in news a few days back - but forgot the name)?


Plus Other film city stories: What happened to these projects?

Railways planning a Film City in Kolkata

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/...ticle36774.ece

The Indian Railways is considering building a film city in Kolkata on land owned by it, members of the committee on heritage and culture said here on Wednesday.

“We have a film city in our mind and we are considering several options for land but the final approval for it will come from the railway board,” said Shaonli Mitra, chairman of the committee after the conclusion of its first meeting.

The film city is as yet in the conception stage, Ms. Mitra said adding that a theatre training academy and a theatre complex will be a part of the venture.

The committee wants to strengthen cultural institutions all over the country and is also going to promote the arts by offering jobs to needy and deserving artists.

State to get its first film city in Dooars

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...-film-industry

The state is all set to get its very own film city. Slated to be as plush and picturesque as the sprawling Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, the Rs 400-crore project will come up in the Dooars in next 18 months. Quite expectedly, it has been christened Dollywood!

Located 17 kilometres from the New Mal station, Dollywood will come up in Chalsa, close to the Gorumara forest, on 270 bighas of sylvan land surrounded by rivers Jaldhaka and Diana. The location has a full view of the Bhutan hills. The project is being developed by city-based Vibgyor Group.

"We toured the length and breadth of North Bengal before selecting this spot. While Tollywood shoots in North Bengal rampantly, both directors and the cast face tremendous problems of accommodation, food, etc. Hence, we thought of this project," said Raja Bhadra, managing director of Vibgyor.
While Bollywood biggies like Om Puri and Rekha have been roped in as advisors to the project, from Tollywood, director Raja Sen and actors Saumitro, Tapas Pal and Satabdi Roy are amongst those chosen to guide the film city team. "We are negotiating with a top Bollywood star to become our brand ambassador," Bhadra said, not willing to divulge the name yet.

"We wanted expert advise so that we could provide all top-notch facilities that a modern film city must have. It is for their long-standing experience in the film industry that we approached Rekha and Om Puri to be a part of our project. We want to be second to none," Bhadra said.

The film city has created quite a stir in Tollywood. "You cannot imagine the kind of problems we face when we go for outdoor shoots. Due to lack of proper infrastructure, we sometimes spend hours travelling to the shooting location and all the way back to the hotel. Dollywood will come as a huge relief," said Satabdi Roy.

"We were waiting for something like this since long. We had even requested the state government to develop something like this in Salt Lake, but that didn't materialise. With Dollywood around, we can go in as a unit and come out only after completing a film something that Tollywood couldn't think of doing before," said actor Tapas Pal.

First step to film city

http://www.telegraphindia.com/109030...y_10633212.jsp

Have a film to shoot? Drive down to Chandrakona. This sleepy village in West Midnapore — a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Calcutta — is the address for what is being touted as Bengal’s first “state-of-the-art film city”.

Prayag Film City, a Rs 570-crore project with a five-year deadline for completion, is an initiative of the Prayag Group, which has business interests in real estate, fertilisers and fisheries.

Spread over 2,300 acres, the film city will apparently boast 50 set locations, 60 floors, a digital colour laboratory, facilities for pre- and post-production work, and a film institute.

“We are venturing into entertainment because it is profitable. Our state-of-the-art film city will be better than the Ramoji Rao Film City in Hyderabad. Bengali films apart, Bhojpuri and Assamese films will also be shot here,” claimed Prayag Group owner Basudeb Bagchi.

Work is already on to build an artificial sea, an airport with an aeroplane, a helipad, railway station with bogies, golf course, swimming pool, tree-house, restaurants, cottages and manicured parks.

“The intention is good. Let’s wait and see how far it goes. The Bengali film industry will greatly benefit if the film city happens,” said Bollywood actor Om Puri, who along with singer Alka Yagnik and a team of Tollywood actors drove down to Chandrakona on Thursday for laying the foundation stone.

“The film city will be a dream come true for us. We won’t have to pack our bags for Hyderabad anymore,” said actor Rudranil Ghosh, who was part of the Tolly team.

[Suncity]

Which bridge is u/c?

Film city dream rolls, mayor visits Uttarpara site

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/8740083.cms

The proposed film city site is directly accessible by the second Vivekananda Bridge, currently under construction. The plot is about 250m wide between the river and highway. The 117 acre plot is valued over Rs 100 crore. Initially, there were 21 brick kilns in the area but that number has now come down to eight. Brick kiln owners had even moved the Calcutta high court against KMC's purported attempts to remove them. During mayor Prasanta Chatterjee's tenure, HC had given an order favoring KMC's right over the land.

[studdmanster]

Film city'r bahaar...btw, there is one more film city coming up in Salboni....btw, any updates about the filmcity that was coming up in Garia??...purple i guess!!

[ajaydas]

http://www.telegraphindia.com/110110...y_13153374.jsp

Film city
Purple movie town in Sonarpur is racing to be ready for a summer 2011 opening

What does it take to come up with Bengal’s first film city? Six months of 800 men labouring day and night and an investment that has already crossed Rs 50 crore.

Work is on full throttle at Purple Movie Town, a “one-stop shop for a filmmaker’s every need”, at Sonarpur, on the southern fringes of the city. With the first of two studios ready to start a series of dry runs in December, Purple Movie Town is racing towards a May 2011 opening.

“From spacious sound editing and dubbing studios to sprawling studio floors to ready locations, we aim to build the best film city in the country. If that means spending a few more crores here and there, so be it,” says Pritimoy Chakraborty, chairman of Finesse, the retail and electronics company that is powering Purple Movie Town.

A 30-minute drive (not at peak traffic hours, though!) from the Tollygunge Metro station, Studio II at Purple Movie Town is now almost ready. “We just have to fit in the acoustics and lay down the tiles and we will be ready to go,” smiles Chakraborty.

While veteran art director Nitish Roy (the man behind the Ramoji Rao film city in Hyderabad) will start designing the 20 ready locations — from a temple to an airport to even a Varanasi ghat — from November 15, a substantial amount of work has already been completed on the rest of Purple Movie Town.

“Flats to accommodate crew, make-up rooms and a canteen are almost ready,” says Chakraborty.

A luxury spa — for technicians to pamper themselves in at the end of a work-weary day — is also part of the Purple Movie Town grand plan.

Set to launch in May 2011, Purple Movie Town has already generated interest, even beyond Indian shores. “American film and television director James Capria (You Are What You Eat, Town Has Turned to Dust) is scheduled to shoot in Purple Movie Town in February 2011,” says Chakraborty.

[studdmanster]