The state government has decided to add nine mouzas in North 24 Parganas under the planning area of West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) for comprehensive development.
A notification in this regard was issued by the Urban Development branch of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department on February 15.
The mouzas are situated within the jurisdiction of two police stations, namely, Rajarhat and Kashipur. The mouzas are Arberia, Baju, Bajetaraf and Chandipur Chapagachi under Rajarhat police station and Uttar Gajipur, Uriapara, Tona, Shyamnagar and Anantapur under Kashipur police station.
To construct buildings in these mouzas, plans shall have to be submitted to New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA). Also, the land use plan of NKDA will be applicable to these areas. The area will be included in the master plan of NKDA.
In view of the hectic construction work that is going on in Bhangar, NKDA will issue clearance to the plans for proposed buildings and will make plans for the infrastructure development.
The state government feel that vast areas surrounding New Town which is coming up on 3,270 hectare of land should also be developed and comprehensive plans need to be prepared for proper development of the entire region.
After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took steps to develop New Town which has come up as the destination for commercial and residential hub. To attract tourists, the Eco Park has been set up which has attracted 55 lakh people since its inception.
New Town is coming up as a major education and health hub. The second campus of Presidency University and St Xavier's university are also coming up here.
The erstwhile LeftFront government took the decision to set up New Town and purchase and sale of land in 21 mouzas was initially stopped. The waterbody was filled up and HIDCO was set up with Sanjay Mitra, former chief secretary as its first managing director and the former housing minister Gautam Deb was its chairman.
HIDCO was busy in constructing the main arterial road now called Biswa Bangla Sarani and selling plots and did not give attention to address key issues like supply of drinking water.
Now, water from river Hooghly is lifted from Debendrabala ghat in north Kolkata and untreated water is taken to New Town by pipeline where it is purified and distributed to households.