KMC planning to revert name of Town Planning department to its 1980s title

Kolkata: Following the suggestion of the mayor Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to revert the name of its ‘Town Planning & Development department’ to its 20th century title ‘Planning Development department’.

According to KMC, in the 1980s of the 20th century, the department was established under the name ‘Project department’. The name got changed to ‘Planning & Development department’ later on, which was formed under KMC in the early 1990s. The department did big scale significant jobs within KMC jurisdiction by planning, proposing different development works, designing and their executions. In 2018, another department ‘Chief Municipal Architect & Town Planning Office’ got merged to this department and the new name was assigned to this department as ‘Town Planning & Development department’. It was realised that since the departmental activity includes all types of major capital works, in terms of its activities, the name ‘Planning Development Department’ was thought to be appropriate.

Recently, Mayor Firhad Hakim is learnt to have expressed his desire to the Municipal Commissioner of reverting the name. Another reason for the change given is that the other departments have been taking care of the day-to-day work but this department is doing the job of preparing detailed project reports, design, drawings and execution works of deposit nature. The proposal was recently placed in the member mayor-in-council meeting (MMIC) where it was considered. The matter is presently pending approval of the KMC which is likely to be given on Friday.