BGBS 2018 off to a stellar start as applause echoes across Convention Centre
16 Jan 2018 5:50 PM GMT
Kolkata: The Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, which has witnessed the greatest mega event of the state, namely Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) 2018, has received kudos from every corner.
The Convention Centre, with a seating capacity of over 3,000, is the biggest one of its kind in the country. It was Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who took the initiative to set up the centre and had announced at BGBS 2017 that in 2018, it will be held at the Centre. Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) had assigned L&T to construct the massive centre, the biggest construction since Victoria Memorial Hall over a century ago.
The captains of the industry who addressed the gathering from the podium, were all praise for the Centre. Mukhesh Ambani lauded the centre which is of international standards and said "The Convention Centre shows how serious the state government is to do business." Steel baron LN Mittal also lauded the centre.
For the past one month, state Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim visited the centre to oversee the arrangements. He had held a series of meetings with chairman of HIDCO Debashis Sen and other senior officials of the agency.
The delegates were taken to the centre in air-conditioned buses from the parking zone. Biswa Bangla Sarani, connecting Eastern Metropolitan bypass with New Town, was lit up and billboards welcoming the guests and delegates were put up. The slogan of this year's conference is 'Bengal means business'.
China brought a team of 30 delegates, while Poland had 50. The delegates were put up in star hotels in and around New Town and they were escorted to the venue on Tuesday morning. Elaborate police arrangements were made for smooth running of traffic along Biswa Bangla Sarani. Over 2,000 cars were parked in the parking lot situated closed to a star hotel.
The B2B meetings were held in the small conference halls. The delegates had a networking lunch. The guests who left the centre after the inaugural session were taken to the parking lot in special vehicles.
Though 3,000 people gathered at the Centre, it was neat and clean everywhere. There was elaborate arrangement of food for the guests and delegates.
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