Huge multi-storeyed car park to come up in New Town

Kolkata: A massive multi-storeyed car park that will accommodate 3,000 cars will be constructed in New Town near Biswa Bangla Convention Centre.

Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) has invited firms to participate in a design completion and a pre-bid meeting that was held on Friday. Many firms have shown keen interest. The idea to construct a multi-storeyed car park, the first of its kind in the state, was floated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The proposed car park is coming up on 8 acres of land. As it is in the Central Business District (CBD) it will get more Floor Area Ratio (FAR) because of the wide roads. The car park will have restaurants, banquet halls for hosting social functions and the top two floors will be kept for residential flats. The design of the car park will be modern and aesthetically appealing.

It will come near Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, the largest business centre in India. The Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) will be held there and hectic work is on to provide the final touches. The main auditorium can accommodate around 3,000 people. There are smaller auditoriums and restaurants and other state-of-the-art amenities. The construction of a hotel which is a part of the Convention Centre is on that will have around 100 rooms.

It may be mentioned that when the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, the infrastructure of New Town was extremely poor. There was a main arterial road connecting Chinar Park with Sector V in Salt Lake. Following the initiative taken by Mamata Banerjee, New Town has undergone sea change over the past six-and-a-half-years. Eco Park, the country's biggest urban park is now a major tourist attraction. The Mother's Wax Museum, Eco Urban Village, Rabindra Tirtha and Nazrul Tirtha, two cultural hubs are attracting visitors in huge numbers.

The growing popularity of New Town was reflected when lottery for residential plots was held. There were more than 3,000 applicants for 75 plots. Now, e-auction for 25 plots where residential buildings will be set up is on and there has been overwhelming response. New Town has also emerged as a major education, health and business hub of Bengal.