Thursday, May 9, 2013

Convention Centre for Destination Kolkata

Yesterday, in the Core Committee meeting on Industry headed by Chief Minister, ITC Chairman Y C Deveshwar indicated that Kolkata needs a Convention Centre of World Class standard so that business groups can be attracted which in turn will spur tourism and finally transform Kolkata into an international destination. Chief Minister mentioned of the Convention Centre being designed for New Town Kolkata. It was decided that we will interact with ITC, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and others before finalising the concept. Here is a clipping from today's Telegraph:
In fact I mentioned about the Convention Centre in this blog earlier. Here is the link http://principalsecretarysblog.blogspot.in/2012/08/hidcos-convention-centre-design.html .Tenders have since been been invited. This will be put up to the Board of Hidco in its meeting slated on Saturday 11th May.
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Today is Pachishe Baisakh. Kabi Pranam was held in Rabindra Tirtha from 7am-10am in the morning. I offered flowers on the just installed bronze statue as my tribute to Tagore. A photo:


10 comments:

  1. Dear Mr Sen

    Obviously, a world class convention centre needs to be built - but the render on your 2012 post was not that inspiring. Surely, we can offer a better visual structure.

    By the way, what happened to the international convention centre that was mooted next to Ecopark some years ago. That had a fantastic design !!!

    Shuvro

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  2. Below is the last post from Mr. Sen on the International Convention Center (not the hidco one) dated back to 2011:

    http://principalsecretarysblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/convention-centre-at-new-town-rajarhat.html
    I really hope that the HIDCO convention center completes successfully. The other international convention center is still stuck with land issues and promoter issues, I guess.

    Thanks Mr. Sen for all your efforts and our best wishes.

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  4. Sir, it would be best in everyone's interest that instead of mooting several convention centers there be one defined place for it.... as Mr. Shuvro Roy Choudhury suggested I too believe that the 2012 render was not at all up to the mark... instead why not take the pending matter of the Kolkata International Convention Center mooted by Unitech, their design was done by RMJM - the same firm that delivered us The New Integrated Terminal Design...., which is architecturally way ahead than the other proposals.... Sir an earnest request, please look into the matter, I believe as per the plan, the Convention Center was right next to Eco Park and KMOMA and was also to house the Diplomatic Enclave beside it, this by sheer locational advantage is a hit and may even boost Kolkata's standing as a Cultural Hub of India and South Asia with perhaps the right planning of events in and around KMOMA, Eco Park and the upcoming International Financial Hub!

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  5. Sir,

    Appreciating all your efforts regarding the convention center,I would like to say that I am a bit disappointed with the design.I personally don't feel the design will catapult Kolkata in the intenational league.The one designed by RMJM was truly of international standard.Please see if we can follow that design.

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  6. Sir,
    Few days back I wrote on your blog (Gangasagar Development Authority). You asked some specific points from my point of view. I sent you a pdf file regarding Gangasagar, hope you have got it. If not received, please tell me how can I send it to you.

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  7. Sir,

    If we expect New Town to be a next generation township with focus on renewable energy, I would expect to give focus on solar panels and rain-water harvesting.

    Rain-water harvesting has already been made a norm in almost all new residential and commercial buildings in Bangalore. Also in southern states , one can find solar water heaters, solar panels connected with grid supplying surplus electricity etc because of govt encouragement.

    I sincerely wish that HIDCO also mandates solar panels and rainwater harvesting ( for recharging ground water table and preventing arsenic contamination) for new buildings in New Town Area.

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  8. Having been associated with several large international medical conferences in Kolkata in the last decade--I have felt the acute need of such a centre. Looking at Hyderabad and Chennai--and the hassle we have to face in hosting such conferences---the quicker and sooner it comes up--the better. In fact this should be taken up on a war footing. Can you re-post some of the designs so that we can make some inputs from the user side?

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