New Towns in India

In recent times, India has seen a spurt in such planned townships and a significant number of consumers living in major urban centres are becoming interested in the idea of living in the number of planned townships that are being built away from major urban hubs and chaos.

Making of new towns in India is not a recent phenomenon. India has the experience of this process throughout her history. The phenomenal growth of new towns in India bears the imprint of her heritage in this field of culture and civilization. Mohenjodaro and Harappa, dating back to the Indus Valley civilization, Ayodhya, Pataliputra (present Patna) and Varanasi laid out by Indo Aryans during the Vedic period, Nalanda and Taxila built to serve as University towns during the Buddhist period. Agra, Golconda and “Dacca” (Bangladesh) of mediaeval period, Fatehpur Sikri of the Moghul period, Jaipur the ‘pink city built by Maharaja Jai Singh during the 18th century and Lutyen’s New Delhi (1930) are some of the classic examples of new towns built to satisfy the needs and aspirations of urban community during different periods.

The new town movement of India in the recent past is associated with the beginning of railway towns of British India. These railway towns being formed of an assortment of quarter, for railway employees, stations and other transportational facilities made a sizeable settlement with minimum possible layout and service facilities. The towns mainly designed on ‘grid iron’ pattern and provided community facilities like market, temples, churches, schools, playground, cinema and theatre gave the look of a new town. Kharagpur, Asansol, Tundla, Manmad and Waltair are the landmarks in this field of new towns in colonial India.

By 1941, India had more than 30 such towns having capacity of more than 10,000 people each. Till independence development of new towns followed this pattern with a few exceptions like Jamshedpur. Development of new towns in the truest sense in India took a turn after independence. The partition of the country in 1947 resulted in influx of refugees from east and west and their rehabilitation marked the beginning of new towns in modern India. Faridabad near Delhi, Nilokheri in Punjab, Gandhidham in Gujarat and Asokenagar in West Bengal are examples of refugee township in India.

The new towns built in the first phase lack in design aspect and differ from European and American Standards. But it should be admitted that India started making new towns at a very difficult hour. It was Pandit Jahawarlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India wished decent layout of these new townships. He invited the great designer from France, viz. Le Corbusier and gave him the task of designing Chandigarh. His architectural designs and creations became a source of inspiration to other young nations. Creation of Chandigarh was a historic moment in the contemporary annals of town planning. In fact Chandigarh was the ‘flag off” stage in the race of town building in India.

Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai is a planned satellite township of Mumbai on the west coast of Maharashtra. Navi Mumbai covering 95 villages
New Town, Kolkata New Town, formerly known as Rajarhat, is a fast emerging satellite township in Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) and it is expected that it will be able to absorb additional population growth and help in easing the burden on Kolkata
Lavasa is a private, planned city being built near Pune by the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC)

1) Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai is a planned satellite township of Mumbai on the west coast of Maharashtra. After it was created in 1971, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) was the only authority that looked after the development and maintenance of the city. It was CIDCO which prepared the developmental plan for Navi Mumbai covering 95 villages. In 1991, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) was constituted by the Maharashtra government for maintaining some of the developed nodes of Navi Mumbai, namely, Belapur, Nerul, Turbhe, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli, Airoli,and Vashi.

Navi Mumbai is home to many software companies of Maharashtra, located in various parks. These include the Millennium Business Park in Mahape, the International InfoTech Park at Vashi, and the Belapur railway station complex. It is also home to major commodity markets as well as a major steel market. One of the important business landmarks is the shipping port of Jawaharlal Nehru Port in the Nhava Sheva – Dronagiri nodes. The major business hubs in the city are CBD Belapur, Vashi, Nerul, and Mahape. The Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (SEZ) located in the nodes of Dronagiri and Kalamboli is planned to provide commercial growth and employment to the city. Positioned enroute the proposed Navi Mumbai Airport, this megaproject has attracted investments close to Rs 40,000 crores.

2) New Town, Kolkata

New Town, formerly known as Rajarhat, is a fast emerging satellite township in Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) and it is expected that it will be able to absorb additional population growth and help in easing the burden on Kolkata. The West Bengal Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) plans and executes development projects in the entire 6,000 – 7,000 hectare area in New Town. In order to render the various civic services and amenities within New Town, the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) was constituted under the New Town Kolkata Development Authority Act, 2007.

Towns master plan envisages a township at least three times bigger than the neighbouring planned Salt Lake City. The entire area is still under the process of development. As a planned township, New Town has been divided into three key areas: Action Area I, which mainly consists of malls, a sub Central Business District (CBD) and planned residential and commercial plots. Action Area II is to have a planned main CBD, institutional plots, IT Business Parks like DLF and Unitech, and plots for large apartment complexes. Action Area III mainly consists of high rise residential complexes and mini sub-townships like Uniworld City and Sukhobristi.

3) Lavasa

Lavasa is a private, planned city being built near Pune by the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC). Among the first planned hill cities of India, Lavasa is approximately 1/5th of the land area of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. Located near the Mumbai-Pune economic corridor, along the Warasgaon Lake, Lavasa optimally balances nature and urban infrastructure. The master plan of Lavasa is based on the principles of New Urbanism which makes life easy for its residents by placing all essential components of daily life within walking distance of each other. Besides this, architectural considerations such as land character, building frontage, and other design guidelines have also been taken into consideration while making the master plan.

Developments at Lavasa are well on schedule, and the Dasve town center is currently under an advanced stage development. While the Dasve Town Centre is already functional, all structures in education, hospitality, and leisure are fast-nearing completion. Mugaon, is 6 kms from Dasve and is being developed as a centre for residential, educational, business and commercial activities. This town has shops, cafes, cultural institutions, spiritual centres, schools, and colleges.

Various green initiatives have been undertaken to provide a healthy life to the inhabitants of New Town. The NKDA is working on plans to set up a dedicated green walkway stretching several kilometers in the township for people to walk and breathe fresh air without having the trouble to avoid cars and other polluting vehicles coming their way. A master plan, which has been approved by the Centre, has also been prepared for developing New Town as a solar city. It mentions ways to reduce the projected energy demand from conventional power sources by following two strategies one is by use of solar and renewable power sources and another is by using more energy efficient devices. Already, a long stretch of the main arterial road in Action Area I has been illuminated with LED streetlights and more such lights will be installed on various roads in the township.

Recently, West Bengals Transport Department and HIDCO came up with a plan to jointly set up a state of the art international bus terminus at New Town, the first of its kind in the state. The terminus will have cafes and rest rooms and services for inter-city, inter-state, and international bus routes will be operated from there. New Town is also witnessing a major real estate boom. This year, a 2.5 acre plot in the township fetched HIDCO a whopping Rs 57.33 crore. It amounts to Rs. 23 crore per acre. Lately, HIDCO has been reaping rich harvest by auctioning off plots in the township for commercial purposes.

Metro Region Concept

A metropolitan area (metropolis) is a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure and housing. A metro area usually comprises multiple jurisdictions and municipalities, neighborhoods, townships, boroughs, cities, towns, exurbs, suburbs, counties, districts, states and even nations. As social, economic and political institutions have changed, metropolitan areas have become key economic and political regions. Metropolitan areas include satellite cities, towns and intervening rural areas that are socioeconomically tied to the urban core, typically measured by commuting patterns.

At first, the ‘metropolitan district’ was used in 1910 in the Census of Population carrying a central city of 50,000 or more population and all adjacent minor civil divisions having a population density of 150 or more persons per square mile. By 1940, the concept of the metropolitan district had lost favour because the possibilities of correlating local data with district data were limited.

Besides this, the metropolitan district did not truly represent social and economic integration with the central city. Therefore, a new areal unit, the standard metropolitan area, came into vogue in 1949. It was defined as made up of counties instead of minor civil divisions. It was succeeded by the ‘Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area’ (SMSA).It is defined below as it existed in 1970.

A contiguous county will be included in an SMSA if:

(a) At least 75% of the resident labour force in the county is in non-agricultural labour sector

(b) At least 30% of the employed workers living in the county work in the central county or counties of the area.

A contiguous county which does not meet the foregoing requirements will be included in an SMSA if at least 75% of the resident labour force is non-agricultural and meets two of the following additional criteria of metropolitan character and one of the following criteria of integration.

(i) Criteria of Metropolitan Character

(a) At least 25% of the population is urban.

(b) The county had an increase of at least 15% in total population during the period covered by the most recent two censuses.

(ii) Criteria of Integration

(a) A least 15% of the employed workers living in the county work in the central county or counties of the area, or

(b) The number of people working in the county who live in the central county or counties of the area is equal to at least 15 per cent of the employed workers living in the county, or

(c) The sum of the number of workers commuting to and from the central county or counties is equal to at least 20% of the employed workers living in the county.

As stated above it seems that metropolis is primarily a demographic concept. But this may be emphasized once again that metropolis is much more than an agglomeration. It possesses distinct character and functions which are not likely to be found either in agglomeration or in conurbation. In metropolitan cities each function has benefited from the conditions which brought about the other functions and has found reasons for developing there itself.

There the powers of attraction make them bigger and bigger, and consequently enormity of their size increases their power of attraction. This is happening in Mumbai which has grown tremendously during 1901-1991 by 1000 times. Mumbai has simultaneously an international port, one of the biggest commercial marts, an important industrial node of the country and a cosmopolitan centre. After analyzing the conditions of this development, it may be observed that out of 300 cities with population over one million in the world (1991), more than 50% are sea ports. In reality, ports possess immense potentials to concentrate functions, because, on the one hand, they are by definition commercial places, and on the other, they attract manufacturing industries by the materials of all sorts which they receive from various parts of the country.

Even in the days of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations, and also, during the colonial times, the great commercial connections were then maritime links with the metropolis. The eastern and western sides of the Atlantic in Europe and America therefore, have great ports. Metropolitan cities acquire a sort of permanence and remain evergreen over time.

Metropolitan Cities in India

The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 defines a metropolitan area in India as, an area having a population of ten lakhs or more, comprised in one or more districts and consisting of two or more municipalities or panchayats or other contiguous areas, specified by the Governor by public notification to be a Metropolitan area.

In India, the Census Commission defines a metropolitan city as one having a population of over four million. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat and Nashik are those Indian cities that have over 4 million people. For these million plus cities the Census definition of an urban agglomeration requires that it should be a continuous urban spread constituting a town and its adjoining urban growths or two or more physically contiguous towns together with adjoining outgrowths.

There are 53 urban agglomerations in India with a population of 1 million or more as of 2011 against 35 in 2001. As per the preliminary results of the Census 2011, released by the Registrar General of India, Greater Mumbai with a population of 18,414,288 continues to be India’s biggest city, followed by Delhi – 16,314,838 and Kolkata- 14,112,536. These three cities are India’s mega-cities with 10 million plus population. But, when we consider Urban Agglomeration as an extended city comprising built up area of central core and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area, we have a change at the top. Delhi NCR, with the inclusion of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad becomes the No.1 urban agglomeration with a population of 21,753,486, ahead of 20,748,395.

As of 2011 census of India, there are 46 metropolitan cities in India and the top ten are, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat and Visakhapatnam.

Looking Back to Past: Vintage Kolkata in Photos

Introduction

Kolkata, also fondly know as “The City of Joy”, never ceases to amaze generations with its breathtaking beauty, not only with its metro city status of today’s India, but also in the days of past. In today’s editorial, we’re going to take glance at glimpses of Vintage Kolkata from the past.

Brief History and Importance

Kolkata’s recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India Company, which was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock, an administrator who worked for the company, was formerly credited as the founder of the city; In response to a public petition, the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder. The area occupied by the present-day city encompassed three villages: Kalikata, Gobindapur and Sutanuti.

Kolkata , also known as Calcutta (official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly river, the city is approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, commercial, and financial hub of Eastern India and the main port of communication for North-East India .According to the 2011 Indian census, Kolkata is the 7^th most populous city in India, with a population of 45 lakh (4.5 million) residents within the city limits, and a population of over 1.41 crore (14.1 million) residents in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area. The Port of Kolkata is India’s oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. Kolkata is regarded as the Cultural Capital of India.

Vintage Kolkata Album

Here we take a look at the vintage snaps of Kolkata’s most iconic places

Crossing of ***Harrison Street, Strand*** ***Road*** and ***Burra Bazaar*** **Area**

***The Hindustan Building*** on ***Central Avenue*** once served as the office of ***US Army***

***The Bathing Ghat*** of ***Hooghly River***

***Hustle*** in front of ***Calcutta Stock Exchange***

***The auspicious Kalighat Temple*** of ***Goddess Kali***

Conclusion

Though the time has changed, and history has taken many turns but the essence of Kolkata, has remained the same over ages. The Government has come forward to preserve the heritages of Kolkata, that have made the Bengal and Bengalis proud through decades. People are hopeful that this tradition follows down with the upcoming generations by passing love and the celebration of the beauty of Kolkata.

Hand-Rickshaw Pullers of Kolkata: The Legacies Left Behind

***Hand-Rickshaw puller*** of ***Kolkata***

Introduction

Kolkata is a city that is an amalgamation of the old and new. A city that is being modernised everyday but still manages to hold on to the old charm vibe. It is the only city in India to have various modes of transportation, dating back to the British era. The first city in India to construct a metro rail, it is now the only city in the world that continues to operate licensed hand-pulled rickshaws (called tana rickshawin Bengali) as a mode of public transport. One can still see the tram cars and hand-pulled rickshaws plying on the narrow bylanes of Kolkata.

Histrionic Background

The word ‘rickshaw’ originates from the Japanese word ‘Jin-riki-sha’ (jin meaning human, riki meaning power, and sha meaning vehicle; which translates to human-powered vehicle). The hand-pulled rickshaw was invented in Japan in 1869 and was introduced in China by 1874. Unlike previous modes of transport, like kago, sedan chairs, etc. which needed two persons to carry, the rickshaw had the significant advantage of being driven by a single person. The following decades witnessed a boom of hand-pulled rickshaws in Japan, China, Singapore, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. They served as cheap means of transportation and provided employment to millions of poor working-class families living in cities.

The British were the dominant colonial power in Asia and the usage of a human to pull another human definitely served in reinforcing the master-slave power hierarchy. Post World War II, colonialism declined in Asia and the hand-pulled rickshaw faded out of use from erstwhile British colonies. Strangely, the legacy of rickshaws continued in Calcutta long after the British Empire was gone (1947), and long after the communist government in China banned (1949) the use of rickshaws. Not only did it survive in Calcutta but the tenacious hand-pulled rickshaw has become an icon of the metropolis.

A ***Hand-Rickshaw*** in an ***alley*** of ***Kolkata City***

A Staple to Kolkata’s Culture

Kolkata’s hand-pulled rickshaws are mentioned in many literary books and featured in films of different languages. It plays the protagonist in Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Phantom Rickshaw’. The story is set in Shimla of the 1980s. Greg Vore, an international travel photographer, researched on the life, role and history of hand-pulled rickshaws in Kolkata and Bangladesh. Bimal Roy’s classic Do Bigha Zamin (released in 1953) tells the story of a farmer who becomes a rickshaw wallah in the then Calcutta.

Present Situation of Rickshaw: How They Are Doing

The hand-pulled rickshaw survives due to a number of socio-economic reasons peculiar to Kolkata. Firstly, pulling a rickshaw does not require skill; it requires hard physical labour. Unemployed and unskilled labourers find employment as rickshaw pullers in Kolkata. They do not undergo any training or require a driver’s license to operate. Most rickshaw pullers do not even know the names of the roads they ply their trade on, nor do they understand the various traffic symbols. This is because they are mostly illiterate and speak Hindi instead of the local Bengali. Many rickshaw pullers do not even own the vehicles themselves, but rent them from sardars (rickshaw owners) who own khatals (rickshaw garages). This arrangement evolved because many rickshaw pullers are either too poor or seasonal migrants, plying the rickshaws only for a few months when their fields back home lie fallow.

***Leisure*** between the ***fare trips***

Today, due to declining popularity and availability of other modes of transport, rickshaw pullers earn a meagre amount and mostly live on the streets, saving every rupee to send to their families. Added to this are costs for food and rent paid to sardars, after which they are left with very little money for themselves. Many turn to alcohol and suffer from various diseases and medical problems associated with old age and the physical stress of the job.

Kolkata does currently have 18,000 rickshaw pullers and 6000 rickshaws, though not all of them are licensed by the municipality.

The “Ban” for Rickshaws: The Efforts to Demolish The Rickshaw Transportation

Kolkata has faced much flak due to the existence of this colonial relic. In 2006, the state government tried permanently banning these rickshaws by the passing of the Calcutta Hackney-Carriage (Amendment) Bill, but it was never implemented. Nothing has changed after the change of government in 2011, though promises were made about replacing the licensed hand-pulled rickshaws with electric or cycle rickshaws. If these rickshaws need to be permanently removed from the streets, a justifiable solution needs to be worked out to ensure proper rehabilitation for all the people directly and indirectly attached to the trade.

The Positive Side: Why Hand-pulled Rickshaws Are Relevant To Kolkata

The narrowed urban planning of Kolkata has also played a part in the continuance of this mode of transportation. Due to poor drainage, streets in low-lying areas get flooded frequently. During heavy monsoons, the hand-pulled rickshaw is the only form of transport which can navigate flooded streets. Its non-reliance on fossil fuels makes it less expensive and non-polluting, and its compact size allows easy navigation through the narrow lanes of Kolkata.

Conclusion

Hand-pulled Rickshaws are the legacies of Kolkata’s British colonial past. The demolition of these mannual carts and their replacement with electric mode of carrier carts, would slightly dim the spirit the of the old city. But with time’s stand, it is on the behalf of saving the human labour in a more cost-effective and eco-friendlier way. Although, Kolkata will always cherish its beautiful past garnered with these wooden carts, that served the city and its citizens for ages.

Howrah Bridge: The Living Heritage of Kolkata

Introduction

Howrah Bridge is an architectural marvel and a well-known Kolkata landmark. It has served as a backdrop for numerous movies since the 1950s, including a 1958 film named after the bridge. One can walk across the bridge and admire its unique construction or glide underneath while on a boat ride along the Hooghly River. With a central span of 1,500 feet (457 meters) between its two towers, this enormous steel structure is one of the longest cantilever bridges of its type in the world. Howrah Bridge extends across the Hooghly River, connecting the city of Howrah to Kolkata.

Historic Background

The construction of the Howrah Bridge was first proposed in 1862. The Government of Bengal wanted to build a bridge over the Hooghly River. They asked the Chief Engineer of the East India Railway Company to study the feasibility of the idea and come up with a proposal. But for several reasons, his proposal never materialised.

Later in the 1800s, a pontoon bridge or floating bridge was built between Howrah and Kolkata. But it wasn’t strong enough to handle the huge traffic between the two cities or to weather the frequent storms in the area. So the Bengal government continued to look for alternatives and, several decades later, the new bridge was finally commissioned. The contract to build it was awarded to a company called The Braithwaite Burn and Jessop Construction Company.The design of the Howrah bridge was made by Rendel, Palmer and Tritton and the bridge was constructed by Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company. The construction of bridge was started on 1936 and ended in 1942. It was opened for the public transport on 3 Feb 1943. It was renamed as Rabindra Setu in June 1965 after the first Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

The ***Act*** for the construction of ***Howrah Bridge***

Key Structure of The Bridge

The Howrah Bridge is a suspension-type balanced Cantilever Bridge. It has a central span of 1500ft between the main towers. The anchor and cantilever arms are 325ft and 468ft long, respectively.The suspended span has a length of 564ft. The main towers are 280ft-high above the monoliths and 76ft apart at the top. The bridge deck measures 71ft in width and features two footpaths of 15ft on either side.The super-structure is built up with riveted sections made of a combination of high tensile and mild steel. The bridge deck descends from panel points placed in the middle of the towers, which are located in the lower chord of the main trusses through hungers.The bridge deck consists of a 71ft carriageway and a 15ft pathway projected on both sides of the trusses and supported by a fascia girder.The carriageway outside the tower is backed on the ground by an anchor arm. The deck system includes cross girders suspended between pairs of hungers by a pinned connection. Six rows of longitudinal stringer girders are arranged between cross girders and floor beams support transversally on top of the stringers.These joints support a continuous pressed steel troughing system surfaced with concrete. Two main expansion joints are placed at the interfaces in the middle of the suspended span and the cantilever arms.Eight articulation joints exist at the cantilever arms and suspended portions and separate the bridge into segments by a vertical pin connection to allow the deck’s rotational movements. The bridge deck features a longitudinal ruling gradient at each end.The main tower is based on single monoliths with 21 chambers. The minimum vertical clearance for the carriageway is 5.8m and 8.8m for the river traffic.

Specialities of The Bridge: What Made It A Heritage

Constructed without nuts and bolts, the Howrah Bridge was formed by riveting the entire steel structure. The bridge officially opened in 1943 when it was the world’s third longest cantilever bridge. Today, it is the sixth longest bridge of its type in the world. The Howrah Bridge is also thought to be the world’s busiest cantilever bridge.

In 1946, in a census carried out, it said that the bridge saw a daily traffic of 27400 vehicles and 12100 pedestrians. In fact ages ago the bridge had also carried trams that left from Howrah station terminus. However, it seemed like the bridge could not take the weight of the heavy weight and hence running trams on the bridge was discontinued. Currently, the bridge can bear the weight of 60,000 vehicles only but it still carried almost 90000 vehicles daily. The bridge also has a separate foot path for pedestrians to walk.While the bridge remains one of the key attractions in the city, the Howrah Railway Station at its Howrah end is another site of much historical significance as the country’s oldest railway station. At the Kolkata end, the bridge ends right by the stunning and colourful Mallick Ghat flower market, one of the city’s most vibrant markets.

Cultural Significance of The Bridge

Since the beginning of its journey, the bridge has been featured in numerous Bengali Hindi even International films, such as Do Bigha Zamin (1953), Bari Theke Paliye(1958), Parash Pathar(1958), Howrah Bridge(1958), Neel Akasher Neechey (1959), China Town(1962 ) and Amar Prem (1971), Teen Devian(1965), Calcutta 71 1972), Padatik (1973), Richard Attenborough’s 1982 Academy Award winning film Gandhi, Paar(1984), Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) , Nicolas Klotz’s The Bengali Night(1988), Rolland Joffé’s City of Joy (1992), Florian Gallenberger’s Shadows of Time (2004), Yuva(2004), Parineeta (2005) and the list goes on.

Recent Renovations of The Bridge

The articulation joints at deck level were renovated in 2008, and the bridge was illuminated in colours of gold and magenta in November 2006.Bridge operator Kolkata Port Trust (KPT) invested Rs35M in the project for laying 13km of cable, 700 lights, a new control tower and a sub-station. Around Rs27.3m was spent on the maintenance of the bridge in 2005.The pylons, the steel-lattice inner structure, the under-deck and the pathway were fixed with white and the upper structure with blue LEDs. Painted in June 2005, the bridge required more than 26,500l of aluminium paint to cover 23,500t of steel, occupying a surface area of 2.2mm².Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the interactive light and sound show of the bridge in January 2020. The new Rabindra Setu decorative lighting features 650 power-efficient LEDs and spotlight fittings for programmable multi-colour lighting, including a music-syncing show.

Silhouette of ***Howrah Bridge*** at the time of Sunrise. Howrah Bridge is a bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River in West Bengal.

Conclusion

The surprising fact about this bridge is that, despite being such a heritage, it has suffered a lot of damage. And the damage is not only because of trams plying heavy load, but it is also because of human spit and bird excreta.The corrosion on the bridge is because of prolonged chemical reaction that has occurred because of continuous bird droppings. Calcutta Port Trust is currently in charge for the maintenance of the bridge. Along with the authority, the citizens should also be responsible for protecting the living heritage of our country.

A virtual tour to Kolkata’s famous visiting places

Kolkata was initially the capital of the British Raj, which means that several structures constructed by them during the pre-Independence era still stand strong along with other iconic ones in the city. From rajbari and museums to churches places, our City of Joy boasts of many beautiful heritage sites that you must check them out.

Now kolkata (calcutta) is capital of India’s West Bengal state. Kolkata is also known for architecture, art gallery, cultural festival.

1. Victoria Memorial :-

The Victoria Memorial is possibly the most awesome reminder of the Raj to be found in India. It is one of the famous and beautiful monuments of Kolkata.It was built between 1906 and 1921 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 25-year reign in India. After the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the British government gathered the reins of control of the country directly, and in 1876 the British parliament made Victoria the Empress of India. Her reign ended with her death in 1901.

2. Maidan :-

Maydan is a massive green place trails, Riverside, picnic spot including some sports venu. The Maidan (literally, open field), also referred to as the Brigade Parade Ground,is the largest urban park in Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal.The Maidan is dotted with statues and architectural works, the most notable being the Victoria Memorial. For the greenery and refreshment this place known as ‘Lungs of Calcutta’. The property of the Indian Army, the Maidan hosts the army’s Eastern zone high command in Fort William.

3. Nandan :-

Nandan is one of the main venues of the Kolkata International Film Festival, hosting it till 2010. It is a government-sponsored film and cultural centre in Kolkata, India. The primary aim of the cultural hub is to encourage and facilitate cinematic awareness in society. While in 2011 the opening and closing ceremonies was shifted to Netaji Indoor Stadium, Nandan remains the main centre for the festival.The foundation stone of Nandan was laid by former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu in 1980[3] and it was inaugurated by film-maker Satyajit Ray on 2 September, 1985. Most favorite place of film lovers all around Kolkata.

4. South Park-street Cemetery :-

The Park Street Cemetery was one of the earliest non-church cemeteries in the world, and probably the largest Christian cemetery outside Europe and America in the 19th century. Opened in 1767 on what was previously a marshy area, the cemetery was in use until about 1830 and is now a heritage site, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The tombs are an admixture of the Gothic with a rich flavour of the Indo-Saracenic style. Of the latter, mention may be made of a unique and composite brick structure built in the ‘panchyatana’ manner, with a central dome flanked by miniature replicas of Orissan ‘rekha deul’ on four sides. Coupled with this peculiarity, the black basalt carvings on the frontal façade indicate a distinct respect for the Hindu faith.

5. Dakshineshwar Kali Temple :-

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple was founded around the middle of the 19th century by Rani Rashmoni.Rani Rashmoni was a Mahishya by caste and was well known for her philanthropic activities. This temple is a Hindu navaratna temple located at Dakshineswar. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, a form of Parashakti Adya Kali, otherwise known as Adishakti Kalika.This temple is one of the most visited temple in Kolkata.

6. Howrah Bridge :-

The Howrah Bridge is one of four on the Hooghly River and is a famous symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal.The Bridge is a balanced cantilever bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Commissioned in 1943,the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata (Calcutta). The night lightning of Howrah bridge is mesmerizing.

7. Thakur Bari :-

Jorasanko Thakur Bari or House of the Thakurs (anglicised to Tagore) in Jorasanko, North Kolkata, West Bengal, India, is the ancestral home of the Tagore family. It is the place where Rabindranath Tagore was born and spent most of his childhood. It was built in the 18th century on the land donated by the famous Sett family of burrabazar to ‘Prince’ Dwarkanath Tagore (Rabindranath Tagore’s grandfather).The house has been restored to reflect the way the household looked when the Tagore family lived in it and currently serves as the Tagore museum for Kolkata.

8. Prinsep Ghat :-

Prinsep Ghat was located between the Water Gate and the St George’s Gate of the Fort William, the monument to Prinsep is rich in Greek and Gothic inlays. It was restored by the state’s public works department in November 2001 and has since been well-maintained.The Palladian porch in the memory of the eminent Anglo-Indian scholar and antiquary James Prinsep was designed by W. Fitzgerald and constructed in 1843.Prinsep Ghat is one of the oldest recreational spots of Kolkata.[4] People visit it in the evenings on weekends to go boating on the river, stroll along the bank and purchase food from stalls there.One of the songs in the Bollywood film Parineeta was shot here on the ghats.

9. Rabindra Sarobar :-

Rabindra Sarobar also known as Dhakuria Lake is an artificial lake in South Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal.The lake and the surrounding green cover occupy an area of 192 acres. The water body is of 73 acres while the green cover has an area of 119 acres. It has a unique bio diversity and attracts 107 species of birds, which includes 69 resident birds, 14 local migrants, 23 long distant migrants and one summer visitor. The green cover has 11,000 trees of which 7.500 are over 75 years old. Sometimes there was a opportunity of rowing in this lake for visitors. Many bangali films shooted in this place.

After visiting all those place you will definitely agree with that – ‘Kolkata , The City Of Joy’.

Mini-lockdown in West Bengal

5 days back on July 20, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Bannerjee and the Home Secretary, Alapan Bandopadhyay conducted a meeting where it was jointly decided to impose a 2-day lockdown for every week in West Bengal. The sole reason for this lockdown is community transmission at some places in West Bengal. Due to such high rise of spread of infection, it was came as a verdict that offices, transports services and all the local shops will be closed on these 2 days. For this week 19^th July to 25^th July, those 2 days were Thursday (23^rd July) and Saturday (25^th July).

Due to the increase in the number of positive cases in west Bengal, our state minister had to take such a drastic step to contain the transmission. It was also decided that there will be further reviews if there arises any change in decision. To promote the mandatory 2-day lockdown, the city police have also undertaken quite a few steps to ensure compliance. They have released a mask-wearing awareness anthem, sung by Usha Utthup. At the same time, an awareness campaign ‘Mask-up Kolkata’ was promoted by Anuj Sharma, Police Commissioner.

West Bengal Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines: State to issue notification ... — *Police raiding the streets of Kolkata*

For one, the cases in West Bengal have been rising at an alarming rate. Apparently, Monday recorded 2,282 new cases, taking the total to 44,769. So to take this under control, the West Bengal police is also taking very strict steps to ensure that the citizens are following the lockdown rules. Around 10,000 policemen have hit the streets of West Bengal at around 5:30 am to curb the normal trends. Throughout the day, multiple cases came out where the house maids were trying to reach their places of work, shop owners even tried to open their shops with much disregard for the policemen and so much so, people just wandered off to the street saying that they were not aware of the rules of this new lockdown. But sadly, this time the police was there to check their behaviour and to make sure that there is no relaxation of the rules. The state ensured to circulate drones so as to prohibit people from leaving their homes. Cases arose where the bike riders tried to get away from the situation or where the shop owners forcefully tried to open their shops, ultimately resulting in police booking.

Yes at the end of the day, police cases arose from the places which had been declared as containment zones. As per Thursday’s report, 256 FIRs were registered, 1,273 people were arrested, 19 vehicles were seized, 665 people were booked for not wearing the masks and 128 people were caught for spitting openly on the roads. But in most of the cases, the victims complained that they were not aware of the exact conditions of this 2-day lockdown.

West Bengal, especially Kolkata, is doing a great job while trying to combat the increased transmission. But it is very necessary for Kolkata to stick to its own words to achieve success in this mission. And more importantly, we, the citizens should be cooperative enough to make this mission successful.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/kolkata/article/kolkata-west-bengal-govt-imposes-2-day-lockdown-every-week-after-community-transmission-detected-in-few-areas/625057

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/kolkata-all-boxes-ticked-for-lockdown-day-ii/articleshow/77161203.cms

A new version of Durga Puja

If anyone manages to come to Kolkata during the upcoming festive months of Durga Puja, one would definitely feel very lucky to watch tall brightly coloured idols with crowds dressed in their best attire and swarming through the streets. But it is all gone now, at least for this year.

Usually for each year, all the orders for idols used to come during Rath-yatra and the days following that. And there existed a countdown for the final day. And not to forget about the markets, which always remained overcrowded for at least three months before the actual occasion. There was a feeling of joy and celebration in the air with people in extremely good mood. But this year is going to markedly very different from all the previous years. As per the sources, orders to Kumartuli have slashed by a great percentage this year. At the same time, the delay in the orders is quite noticeable. This year, even the big budget Durga Puja clubs have not yet placed the orders and even if some of them did, the height of the idols have reduced drastically. Previously, the normal height used to range from 12 to 15 feet and that too added with expensive clothes and ornaments. But this year, sources verify that the height ranges somewhere between 8 and 10 feet, with none exceeding 10 feet. Many clubs who usually hosted such big budget idols are very much sceptical whether they should go for it considering the financial stress and social isolation issue. Some are outright enough to cancel the celebrations and others who are hopeful that the situation will subside eventually have gone for placing the orders.

But this is not just all. The Forum of Dugotsab which is a committee of 350 Durga Puja Committees have passed certain rules to make this a safe festive season. Some recommendations which are passed include thermal screening of visitors, wearing of masks is mandatory, regular sanitisation of structures and finally there should be only 25 people inside a marquee at any point of time. But just to ensure that every devotee gets to enjoy the festival, the authorities have also ensured to place screens outside or podiums so that the devotees can at least view the idols. As per the Puja committees, they have specified that they will strictly adhere to the safety guidelines and that that they will celebrate keeping in mind the safety and livelihood of thousands of individuals.

But recent concern is that due to such economic constraints, the Kumartuli artisans have asked for the advance payment of 50% of the total idol making cost at the time of booking the idol. They are fearing that they will incur heavy losses owing to the lockdown and the destruction caused due to the Amphan Cyclone. Kumartuli artisans are sceptical because they have made the idols for Basanti Puja, but because of the onset of lockdown they could not sell those and thus had to suffer huge losses. So according to them they want to be sure for this time.

Durga Puja which is the most quintessential celebration of the Bengalis, will be celebrated in a completely different way. But whatever it is, we just wish for our Ma Durga to abode on this earth with her children and demolish the COVID-19 Rakshash with her Trishul.

Till then, stay safe.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/kumartuli-artisans-for-50-advance-for-durga-idols/story-R4wztUk5q1UQMAvkCXr7VJ.html

Kolkata: Sweet Drops of Heaven

Walking down the street, at every corner, there is either an old, green walled shop or a modern, marble tiled outlet, both adorned with trays of delicious, lip-smacking and beautifully carved out sweets. Be it a festival, or a wedding, none of the events are complete without these little drops of sugar, milk, kheer and sometimes jaggery. Sweets are an integral part of this culture, so much so, even our famous movies such as ‘Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen’ by Satyajit Ray or ‘Mach Mishti n More’ by Mrinal has a reference to sweets. Sweets define the intricacies of this culture, and there is an incomplete feeling without it.

Kolkata, otherwise known as the ‘City of Joy’ is very well known for its immensely flavoured and mouth-watering sweets. If one decides to take a walk down the streets, especially North Kolkata streets, one is sure to come across the most soulful sweets as one can ever imagine.

So let me hold your hand and greet you with some of the most iconic sweets of our Kolkata.

Rosogolla. Sponge little balls dipped in sugary syrup, invented by Sri Nabin Chandra Das in Baghbazar, will surely melt your heart. Creates such a sugar rush, I can bet none can pass by without having it.

Bengali Sweets - Home | Facebook — ***Rosogolla***

Sandesh. On the contrast, these are dry sweets of various shapes made using milk, khoya, sugar and variety of condiments such as almonds, dates, pistachios, and others. Be it the simple one or the Nolenguler Sandesh, it is usually stuffed and most people crave for it after a heavy lunch or dinner.

Mishti Doi. Sweetened curd, best enjoyed during the summers afternoon and one of the most coveted dessert for the Bengalis. Another variant of this is the Nolengurer Mishti Doi, enjoyed either solo or with everything during the winters.

Ledikeni. Thanks to the wife of Lord Canning, after whom this dessert derived its name, this brown sweet is just soft, melt in your mouth with a crunch outside. All dipped in sugary syrup, it will definitely steal your heart.

Malpoa. It’s a Bengali version of USA’s pancake but ours is usually stuffed with dry fruits and soaked with the sugary syrup. Best part of this desert is it is soft in the middle and crunchy at the sides.

Payesh. Be it simple one or the Nolengurer one, this desert in milk stuffed with dry fruits are meant to be enjoyed with everything and at any time of the day. Payesh is considered to be an auspicious dessert and usually marks the beginning of an event.

Pithe Puli Food Festival | WhatsHot Kolkata — ***Pithe***

Pithe. Winters are just incomplete without this rice rolls stuffed with coconut, kheer and jaggery. Every Bengali household prefers to have this sweet on a winter evening than any other food.

Naru. Little brown balls of kheer, coconut and jaggery, Bengalis use this almost in every festival.

So these are some of the desserts which you should definitely try out in Kolkata. This city is full of sweet shops and the next time you are in Kolkata, do give it a try and let me know if you discover some more it.

Till then, nom nom nommm…….

Source:

https://www.nkrealtors.com/blog/journey-evolution-iconic-bengali-sweets/

http://www.padhaaro.com/blog/kolkata-famous-sweets/

TOD in India

Indian cities face a multitude of issues such as severe congestion; deteriorating air quality; increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector; increasing road accidents; and an exploding growth in the number of private vehicles (largely motorcycles). With the urban population projected to more than double in the next generation, the situation could easily get out of control and thwart India’s economic development efforts unless remedial measures are soon taken.

The state of public transport in the majority of Indian cities has degraded over the years. Rising population and underdeveloped mass transport has led to a rapid rise of personal vehicles, traffic congestion and an increase in pollution levels. Moreover, the majority of people do not use public transport simply because of the lack of it and inaccessibility to the transit. Therefore, while augmenting public transport, planning for accessibility is the need of the hour. Increased density and improved connectivity through TOD can help achieve that. But one of the most important reasons for thinking about TOD for Indian cities is the recent emphasis on public transport at all levels of government. Scholars have argued that transport sector in India is extremely energy intensive and needs massive investments in mass transit to quell the rise of private motorized mobility.

Post the announcement of mission based programs like Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2005, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation, and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities in 2015, there has been huge emphasis on investments in public transport. Transit systems like metro rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) have found their way into many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Hubli Dharwad, Lucknow, Kochi, Jaipur, Bhopal and Indore among many others.

Some of these cities have gone on to leverage the huge potential accorded by the massive investments in public transit and prepared TOD plans for their cities. In western countries, TOD was used for densifying certain areas but in India the cities already have higher densities. Hence TOD in Indian cities should be looked at as a tool for improving quality of life and financial means to provide infrastructure facilities. India is taking steps towards achieving the TOD guidelines and designing a well-planned city for its people, making itself sustained and pedestrian friendly.

1) Navi Mumbai

2) New Town, Kolkata

3) Lavasa

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Metropolitan Cities in India

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