23.5.11

The Hooghly riverfront



Neglected and misused. No two words can better define the Kolkata riverfront today. No wonder, Mamata Banerjee plans to begin her new innings as the chief minister of West Bengal by beautifying this part of the city. Next week, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), the Indian Railways and the state government will peruse the plan prepared by RITES for the stretch between Prinsep Ghat and Rabindra Setu (Howrah Bridge). On July 9, 2010, RITES was entrusted with preparing the project’s masterplan. A memorandum of understanding was signed by the KMC, the KoPT and the railways in the presence of Mamata Banerjee, Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy and Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee. The School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, helped RITES. Those travelling along the Strand Road can enjoy a clear view of the river. A wall that now blocks the view on the stretch between Chandpal Ghat and the Howrah Bridgeapproach will be replaced with a fence. Illegal structures will be razed and vehicle parking barred. The bus stand at Babughat will also be shifted. This will restore the Eden Gardens to its former status. “A Nature Retreat has been planned in the space between Prinsep Memorial and Outram Ghat. Next to this, a structure called Kolkata Square will be erected. It will house the city mayor’s chamber. A Literary Square will come up across Eden Gardens (the park). An underpass will connect the Eden Gardens to the riverfront,” an official says. “A three-tier walkway will be planned along the riverfront for people to take a stroll. But joggers will be forbidden from using the lowest tier during high-tide as a safety measure,” he asserts. The entire stretch will be greened with the forest department’s assistance. This will attract birds and also provide cool shade to those who want to spend a few leisure moments here. The drab jetties will be modernized with ticket houses. There will be gangways protruding out into the water, beyond which the launches will moor. An open-air theatre between the Millennium Park and the Fairlie Place Ghat will also be constructed. To the north, near the abandoned warehouses, a ‘Water shrine’ and a ‘Cultural Node’ will be designed. Stressing that funds will not be a problem, an official concerned say, “Millennium Park came up on garbage dumps. Private agencies will want to be part of any good endeavour, so long as they get adequate returns. The railways have planned to develop the space around the Circular Railway stations and put these to commercial use. Once the stretch turns into a favourite hangout, more investments are expected to flow in.” “This project is close to Mamata’s heart. Once the changes in Kolkata become visible, the confidence of people — particularly investors — will grow. They will participate in the state’s development. For a state like West Bengal, where little development has taken place in the last three decades, one needs to showcase Kolkata before moving to the districts,” the official adds.

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