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Charles Correa's help sought for Hooghly river project -- Work begins on City Centre

Our Bureau

KOLKATA, Feb. 18

THE West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has sought the support and guidance of renowned architect Mr Charles Correa for two projects in the state -- the Hooghly river front beautification project and an artificial forest project.

Mr Bhattacharya said this at the foundation stone laying ceremony of City Centre, a concourse of shopping malls, cineplex, entertainment arena, food courts, offices and residences at Salt Lake. It is the first project in the city to be designed by Mr Cor rea.

The foundation stone was, however, laid by the former Chief Minister of the State, Mr Jyoti Basu. It will be implemented by Bengal Ambuja Metro Development Ltd (BAMDL), a joint venture company between Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority and Gujar at Ambuja Cements Ltd. Both partners would hold 49.5 per cent of the equity in the venture with the balance one per cent resting with the public.

According to Mr Harshvardhan Neotia, Director BAMDL, the project would be spread across six acres of land and would cost around Rs 80 crore. Individual owners in the shopping complexes would have to invest on interiors which was expected to cost another Rs 80 crore. The first phase of the project was expected to be completed by October 2003.

Mr Bhattacharjee said the joint sector model, which has been successful in the housing industry, would also be adopted for developmental activity in West Bengal. ``It is not possible for the State Government to carry out all developmental activities. Par ticipation of the private sector is very important'', he said.

Regarding the complex, Mr Correa said that he had planned it as `a pluralistic place', where people from all sections of society could come and mingle. ``Interaction is an important aspect of a city which brings a feeling of vitality. This vitality can be felt in Kolkata and Mumbai but it is lacking in Delhi. The proposed City Centre is likely to have it'', he observed.