Some security issues need to be ironed out before Kolkata Gate opens for public: Hakim

Kolkata: State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Thursday said that a few aspects of security would be put into place before opening Biswa Bangla Gate, popularly known as Kolkata Gate, for the common public.

"The construction work is complete. We have also received the safety certificate from RITES and other requisite certificates. Some work in the security aspect and the parking lot needs to be done, which will take another ten days. Once it is ready, we will seek time from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for its inauguration," Hakim said, after visiting the site of the gate at Rabindra Tirtha crossing in New Town.

Banerjee had instructed Hakim on Wednesday to properly check all aspects and to give special emphasis on safety and security of the structure. A senior official of the department informed that Bidhannagar City Police, which is responsible for its security, will install metal detectors at the entrance of the gate. The state government has already received safety certificates from RITES and wind tunneling technology certificate from Kanpur IIT.

"The elevator at Kolkata Gate which is already functional, needs to have facilities so that people visiting the place do not get drenched in case of rain. We will be creating a glass shed for this. Some minor work needs to be done at the parking lot as well, which will accommodate 70 cars," a senior official of the Urban Development department said.

The minister was accompanied by the chairman of West Bengal Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) Debashis Sen and the commissioner of Bidhannagar City Police Gyanwant Singh. HIDCO is the body which is implementing the project.

A major attraction of the 55 metre high gate will be a cafeteria, which will have dinner facilities in the night.

There will also be a tunnel on the gate, which will be decorated with several photographs representing Bengal's culture, while the outer part of the entire tunnel will be covered with lights. It will be made approximately 25 metres above the ground.

Visitors will be able to use the lifts on one side of the gate to reach the Visitors' Gallery and the cafeteria. The Visitors' Gallery, along with the cafeteria, will be surrounded by glass which will be part of the wall. From there, people will have a majestic view of the entire New Town and Rajarhat area. The construction of the gate had started on March 6, 2017.