Urban News

The Times of India    02.09.2010

You have an ambitious agenda to transform Kolkata into London. Cleanliness will be your biggest challenge. With garbage dumps scattered all over Kolkata, what impression do tourists take back home?

Open garbage dumps are indeed a menace. We will do away with the ones in the heart of the city. Kolkata Municipal Corporation has sought advice from an internationally-renowned consultant that has helped modernise the solid waste management system in London as well as some Indian cities. I have asked them to take up a pilot project in Kolkata. To begin with, we will shut down 33 vats and introduce direct loading system. Over 100 major vats will be shut down in two-three years. We have undertaken a Rs 200-crore garbage disposal upgrade under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. I believe this project will bring about the desired change.

The city's roads have a long way to be on par with Delhi, Mumbai and other metros. Why can't Kolkata have uniform roads instead of craters and bumps?

We do appreciate the apprehension of motorists who are inconvenienced by bad roads. But the problem in Kolkata is frequent digging by utility agencies. After we lay a road with mastic asphalt, it gets dug up by an agency.

But isn't there a problem with the way roads are laid and repaired in Kolkata? How is it that National Highways just outside the city are in such good condition? Do contractors conform to standards?

It is often alleged that laying of roads in Kolkata is not done according to proper specifications. I have asked my engineers to monitor road laying and repair to ensure that roads improve and last longer.

Encroachment of pavements has only turned worse. More than 60% of pavements have been occupied by hawkers. Will KMC implement a high court directive to remove hawking from busy thoroughfares and return pavements to pedestrians?

It is a sensitive issue. It is true that we need to give relief to pedestrians, but at the same time we can't drive out thousands of hawkers who have been conducting business for years. We have a balanced approach and plan to restrict hawking on some stretches of major roads.

Municipal markets have become eyesores. Isn't it time to modernise them?

I agree that municipal markets need a facelift. We plan to upgrade some of the major ones and are looking for joint venture partners.

Many parks are in a sorry state. Curzon Park in the heart of the city has turned into a vast urinal. What are your plans for them?

I have asked the parks department to take up beautification projects. While modernisation of Deshabandhu Park is underway, we have big plans for Jatin Das Park in south Kolkata. Since we don't own Curzon Park, we need to negotiate with the state government to take up any activity there. We have decided to build small parks wherever we find space.

Kolkata, the Raj era capital of India, boasts of some majestic buildings. Unfortunately, several of them are in a sorry state. Do you have any plan to revive these historic structures?

This is a subject very close to my heart. KMC will definitely contribute to the restoration and maintenance of these buildings. We are starting with heritage buildings in and around Dalhousie and College Street. In Dalhousie, we will ensure that roads and lamp posts are also well-maintained. We will encourage owners of heritage buildings to maintain them better. There is a proposal to offer tax sops if owners maintain heritage buildings well.

Kolkata has a grand riverfront, whose potential has never been properly tapped. What plans do you have to rejuvenate the riverfront and ensure that there is a connect between the citizens and the river to which the city owes its genesis?

We have ambitious plans to develop the riverfront and have roped in consultant RITES to prepare a masterplan. After the document is handed to KMC, we will begin work in right earnest. Funds will not be a problem. We have identified 32 major ghats which will be given a facelift. Warehouses on Strand Road will be turned into museums, conference halls, eating joints and art galleries. We will also construct open air theatres. We plan to introduce pleasure rides on the Hooghly.