February 6, 2014
Kolkata`s riverfront beautification drive receives a shot in the arm
The state government is all set to give shape to its dream of the `Kolkata Eye` project on the banks of Hooghly river – a giant ferries wheel modelled on the famous London Eye. It will float the expression of interest on February 6 – just a day ahead of the renovated riverfront inauguration – to invite private players to execute the project on a public private partnership basis. The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) will be the nodal agency.
State urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim said the department had already acquired land for the project. Apart from selecting private players for the project, the government also intends to get in touch with UK-based experts for technical assistance.
Once complete, Kolkata Eye will be an added attraction to the already beautified Hooghly riverfront. It will offer visitors a panoramic view of the city, parts of Howrah and also the course of Hooghly river.
On February 7, Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee will lay the foundation stone of an over-bridge connecting Princep Ghat and Armenian Ghat in the riverside. Modelled after the landmark Sydney Harbour Bridge, this project will cost around Rs. 4.5 crores.
The Chief Minister will also inaugurate several other projects which were part of the riverfront beautification drive, which includes the 500 m deck slab from Millennium Park to Armenian Ghat. The Chief Minister will also formally publish a 60 page tourist guide formulated by the KMC. She will also lay the foundation stone of longest flyover of the city connecting Jinjirabazar with Batanagar.
Immediately after coming to power, Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee had announced to develop the area on the lines of the Thames in London. Two and a half years in power, the Trinamool government seems to go in the right direction to realize its London dreams.
