State to develop Milan Mela into int'l standard trade centre in 18 months

Milan Mela, the primary exhibition cum convention centre of Kolkata, will be turned into an international standard trade centre in the next 18 months.

The state government has decided to develop a fully air-conditioned structure on a major portion of the 18.40 acre of land that at present houses four conference or exhibition halls of around 1183 square metre each and other infrastructures including administrative office buildings, food courts, open air theatre and parking lot.

Thus, temporary make shift structures are needed to host any major programme in Milan Mela Ground. With conversion to an international standard trade centre, all major events can be organised under one roof at any time of a year.

Since 2009, Milan Mela is the venue of the International Kolkata Book Fair, Asia's largest book fair. The Bengal Global Business Summit is also organised at the same venue every year.

In the past few years, Milan Mela has become an important landmark in Kolkata.

Now, the Mamata Banerjee government has decided to upgrade it to an international standard trade centre so that activities could take place at the venue round the year.

At present, most of the major events in Milan Mela take place in winter. Once the structure of the proposed trade centre comes up, organisers do not have to wait till winter to host any major event.

Firhad Hakim, the state Urban Development minister, said that it would take roughly 18 months to construct the international standard trade centre.

It may be mentioned that Milan Mela Ground has got a proper shape to organise major event after the change of guard in the state, though the International Kolkata Book Fair was shifted to the venue during the regime of the erstwhile Left Front government. The ground was levelled and prepared so that programmes can also be organised outside the four exhibition halls. Now, the government has taken another major step to convert it into an international standard trade centre. Besides taking steps to give a new shape to Mila Mela Ground, the Mamata Banerjee government is also developing three major infrastructures at Alipore — Saujanya,

Now, the government has taken another major step to convert it into an international standard trade centre. Besides taking steps to give a new shape to Mila Mela Ground, the Mamata Banerjee government is also developing three major infrastructures at Alipore — Saujanya, Uttirnya and Dhanadhanya. Saujanya is a convention centre where major seminars and state functions would be hosted in the city itself. There will also be accommodation facilities for the state guests in

There will also be accommodation facilities for the state guests in Saujanya. It would take another eight months to complete the construction of Saujanya. While Uttirnya and Dhanadhanya, which will house ampi-theatres and indoor stadium with a multi-level car parking lot in front, will be completed in the next one year or so.