HIDCO wants to showcase New Town as city's new exhibition destination

Housing infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) will highlight New Town as a great exhibition and convention destination in the Kolkata Book fair which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday.

Senior HIDCO officials met their counterparts in the Publishers and Booksellers guild and inspected the stall that has been allotted to HiDCO.

Inspired by Mamata Banerjee, Biswa Bangla Convention centre which is coming up in New Town is the biggest of its kind in eastern India. The model of the proposed centre which will be opened in the second half of 2017 was displayed at the recently concluded Bengal Global Business Summit.

State Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim and Finance Minister Amit Mitra inspected the model and expressed their satisfaction. BGBS 2018 will be held at the convention centre in January. Reservations are already pouring in month/ year in advance both for the convention centre as well as the open exhibition grounds.

The city based cardiologists also proposed to hold their conference at the convention centre. The centre which is coming up on 10 acres of land will house a 3,000 capacity state of the art auditorium, 100 rooms for the guests, a library, gymnasium and banquet halls.

New Town is coming up as a major destination for holding exhibitions. Huge open grounds outside gate number I of Eco Park are very attractive destinations. A panel of specialised air-conditioned hanger fabricators will be put up as required on a modular basis with least damage to the paved grounds. A space has been allotted to New Town Electric Supply Corporation (NTESC) who has placed transformers and panels so that organisers can get the bulk power at a short notice and at convenient locations. There will be executive toilets along with those meant for the staff and workers.

Booking of land measuring 2.5,4 and 6 cottah plot that are available at Gitabitan Theme city in Santiniketan will be highlighted. Information about five other theme cities will be available at the HIDCO stall. HIDCO is ready to provide assistance to set up houses for the proposed buyers and the building plans will be given to them on the same day when the allotment will be given to them.

As the Book Fair records huge footfall, HIDCO wants to use the platform to showcase New Town as the future destination.