State Urban Development Minister to visit Biswa Bangla Convention Centre site on June 21

The West Bengal Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) will soon float a tender to select firms to operate and maintain the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre. 

“The target date for completing the Centre is December 2016. It will be a combination of Vigyan Bhavan and India habitat Centre”, Debashis Sen, chairman of HIDCO said.

HIDCO, through a tender process, has selected a firm that is playing the role of a transition adviser. They are recording feed backs given by the firms and soon a national tender will be floated.

It was learnt that several firms have shown keen interest in the project. It may be mentioned that the initiative was taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who gave her idea to senior HIDCO officials.

It has become the top most priority of the state government to showcase the uniqueness of Bengal’s cultural life and rich heritage to the world.

As the thrust of the new government is to complete the ongoing project, steps have been taken to complete it on time, much ahead of Bengal Global Business Summit scheduled to be held in January 2017.

The convention centre is coming up on a 10 acre plot. There will be a 3000-seater auditorium, which is the biggest of its kind in the city. The centre will also have seminar halls, along with 100 guest rooms, a library, swimming pool and gymnasium.

As the centre is located close to the Kolkata airport, it will be easier for senior government officials from other states to stay there and attend seminars or address press conferences.

The convention centre will also have a Biswa Bangla stall, where handicraft products made from 

muslin and baluchari, dokra items and masks which are produced by the artisans will be showcased.

New Town has already emerged as a cultural hub in the city.

 Cultural programmes are regularly held in Rabindra Tirtha and Nazrul Tirtha. In Rabindra Tirtha, budding directors showcase their plays every Sunday.

Once completed, the auditorium will cater to a vast audience in North 24 Parganas who are unable to travel to Rabindra Sadan-Nandan complex which is quite far.

The Eco Park is a hot new tourist destination and over 50 lakh people have visited the area since its inception three and a half years ago.