Kolkata: SMPK holds key meeting to advance Hooghly ghats’ comprehensive revitalisation
Kolkata: The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), held a critical stakeholders’ meeting in the presence of the top brass of the Kolkata Police, led by its Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, to advance the comprehensive revitalisation of Kolkata’s historic ghats along the Hooghly River.
Key civic authorities, enforcement agencies, and corporate partners were pre-sent at the meeting to ensure a collaborative and streamlined approach to the riverfront development initiative.
The meeting focused on aligning the efforts of various organisations that have committed to the ambitious project under SMPK’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
The organisations that presented their detailed plans for specific ghats in-cluded the Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, which expressed interest in beautifying the entire riverfront urban precinct between Kumartuli ghat and Champatala ghat, while GRSE Ltd presented a plan for the beautification of Bagbazar Mayer Ghat and Surinam Ghat.
The Nimtala immersion ghat has been adopted by PS Group (a private organisa-tion), while Chotelal Ghat has been considered for conservation and rejuvena-tion by IHCL Group (Taj Hotels) through adaptive reuse and conversion of the area into an active and lively recreation and entertainment zone for both the citizens and tourists. Daighat has been undertaken by TNS Logi Park Pvt Ltd for development.
SMP Kolkata has already signed MoUs with these organisations, with the pro-jects being under the design stage.
Rathendra Raman, chairman, SMPK, said: “The ghats of Kolkata are deeply inter-twined with our heritage and daily life. This collaborative dialogue ensures that redevelopment remains inclusive, sustainable, and respectful of tradition while creating spaces that serve both citizens and visitors.” “Any renovation work, must be approached with a deep sense of responsibility, following the safety measures for the people, ensuring it is meticulously planned to be both public-centric and respectful of this rich heritage,” said Verma.
