Buddhadeb: Chasing a dream

Calcutta, Feb. 7: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today announced his government’s plans to develop infrastructure at Sunrise City — a 50-acre information technology centre at Nonadanga off the EM Bypass — by setting up roads, a drainage system and power supply lines.

Bhattacharjee was speaking at a function to lay the foundation stone of a housing project under the Centre’s Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana scheme (Vambay). Besides Bhattacharjee, urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya and Left Front chief whip Rabin Deb were present.

Under the housing project, adjacent to Sunrise City, 1,056 units will be set up on 16 bighas of land to resettle those who would be displaced by the infotech complex.

Bhattacharya said Rs 1.5 crore would be spent by the state for infrastructural development at Sunrise City. “Apart from the IT companies, there is a proposal for setting up a film city there,” the urban development minister said.

Infotech major IBM has already been provided land at Sunrise City.

The plan is being implemented by the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority under its east Calcutta area development project. “We are giving land for the construction of schools, colleges and hospitals,” said CMDA chief executive officer Alapan Bandopadhyay.

According to him, land is being sold to institutions only after proper screening.

“A 1-km four-lane road will be constructed from EM Bypass to the proposed IT township, which will be the trunk road for Sunrise City,” he said. This will be in addition to the existing service road, Bandopadhyay pointed out.

“We will build more roads and bring power supply as and when it is required in the proposed township,” he added.