Marine Drive connecting Digha and Mandarmani to be opened before Puja '22
Kolkata: The Marine Drive connecting Mandarmani and Digha is all set to open before next year monsoon and expected to draw huge footfall during the Durga Puja in 2022.
This has become possible with the state government completing 62.2 percent of the total work overcoming all odds. The target date of completion of the project is June 30, 2022.
Digha is perhaps one of the most favourite seaside tourist destinations in Bengal while Mandarmani, at a distance of around 29 km by road in the same East Midnapore district, is another tourist hotspot that has gained immense popularity in the past 15 years. The Mamata Banerjee government had taken up the project in August 2017 to connect the two tourist spots by constructing the 4.3 km long thoroughfare with three bridges in between. The three connecting bridges are coming up at Nayakhali measuring 387.92 metre), Jalda measuring 608.96 metre on Champa river and the longest one is 716.28 metre at Soila on Pichhaboni river. The combined length of the three bridges is 1713.16 metres while the approach roads are of 2651.32 metres.
The Chief Minister repeatedly directed the concerned officers to complete the project at the earliest considering it would immensely boost the economy in the area and also come up as a major attraction for the state's favourite seaside tourist destination.
The biggest marine drive is in South Africa, known as Route 62. Along the drive, there are wine shops, a centre for cultural activities, museums and horse riding provisions. Here in Bengal, the Marine Drive between Mandarmani and Digha will enhance tourist activities, including adventure sports. "With Public Works Department as the nodal agency, Mackintosh Burn Limited is developing the project for which the administrative approval of Rs 181.56 crore was given and the target date of completion was set for June 30, 2022. We are confident that people can enjoy a ride along the seaside before the monsoon sets in next year. A large number of tourists visit Digha every year during Durga Puja and the Marine Drive would be another added attraction for them," said a state government officer. It was in 1968 when Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy discovered the seaside tourist spot and made plans for its development. Following his initiative, some bungalows came up. After his death in 1962, no comprehensive plan for Digha's development was taken up.
After the Left Front came to power in 1977, hotels began to mushroom. It was Mamata Banerjee who first took up a comprehensive plan for Digha's development. It was her government that turned the Digha coast to be a wi-fi zone and took steps to attract tourists.
