Biswa Bangla Convention Centre to be ready by Dec 2016: Hidco

The project will be a combination of Vigyan Bhavan and India habitat Centre, Hidco chairman Debashis Sen said on Monday. He said they were looking for the operator through bid system.

It may be mentioned that the initiative was taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who gave such idea to the 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.  

The convention centre is coming up on a 10-acre plot. There will be an auditorium with seating arrangement of around 3,000 audiences. It will be the biggest of its kind in the city. Netaji Indoor Stadium has more capacity but it is an indoor stadium which is often let out to hold meetings and cultural functions. So also, the Salt lake Stadium and Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra.  Nazrul Mancha situated in south Kolkata has slightly more than 2,000 seating capacity while all other auditoriums including Rabindra Sadan and Mahajati Sadan have less than 2,000 seats.

There will be seminar halls along with 100 guest rooms. The centre will have a library, swimming pool and gymnasium. 

As the centre will be close to the Kolkata airport, it will be easier for senior government officials from other states to stay here to attend seminars or address press conferences. Earlier, the senior officials used to stay either in Raj Bhavan or in Great Eastern Hotel as the meetings were held in Writers’ Buildings. 

But now, the state guest house is in Gol Park and so they are being put up at private hotels either in New Town or along Eastern Metropolitan bypass. New Town has already emerged as a cultural hub. Cultural programmes are being held in Rabindra Tirtha and Nazrul Tirtha. 

At Rabindra Tirtha, budding directors present their plays every Sunday. Once completed, the auditorium will cater to a vast population in North 24-Parganas who are unable to go to Rabindra Sadan-Nandan complex as it is far away. 

Moreover, the New Town has also become a major tourist attraction with thousands of people visiting Eco Park on Saturdays and Sundays. The New Town is likely to be declared as a Smart City in April.