Calcutta, Sept. 18: Curtains lifted on the first multi-complex, housing a sprawling shopping mall, well-equipped sporting complex, service apartments, entertainment arena and food court spread over five lakh sq ft, at Rajarhat New Town, the government?s showcase for urban development.

The Rs 250-crore project will start later this year. ?The target period for completion of the project is 30 months,? said Kumar Sankar Bagchi, managing director of Bengal Peerless Housing Development Company.

The architecture would be ?totally Indian? without any western influence, Bagchi added at a programme where tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi signed an agreement with the Peerless group to become its brand ambassador.

The complex will be set up one kilometre from the Salt Lake entry point into Rajarhat. The first commercial venture in New Town and the biggest taken up by Bengal Peerless, the multiplex will have three separate complexes.

A five-storey building will house a sports complex, entertainment arena, food court and children?s arena. The sports complex will boast of a swimming pool, gymnasium, skating rink, squash court and a sports goods shop.

Theatre halls, cinemas and other entertainment sections are being planned in the entertainment arena, while the food complex will house several multi-cuisine restaurants.

?The complex will have a separate floor for children. It will contain a playing arena, book and toy shops,? a Bengal Peerless official said.

A two-storey retail shop complex will form a part of the multiplex. ?We are holding talks with several multinational companies for setting up shops here,? he said.

A 10-storey building will come up on around 60,000 sq ft of the project where residential and service apartments will be located.

?We are planning to name these buildings after famous tennis courts across the world,? Bagchi said.

According to housing department sources, other commercial complex projects in the township are in the pipeline. ?Another shopping mall on five acres is being planned near the New Town flyover,? said an official. ?These commercial complexes are aimed at the convenience of the residents,? he said.