Patna, Feb. 19: Ten workshops at five medium and small conference halls of a three-star hotel. The lack of any five-star facility in the state capital was not only felt during the three-day Global Summit on Changing Bihar-2012, but was also raised during a session on tourism.
However, if the state building construction department (BCD) has its way, the capital may get a swanky hub — International Convention Centre — to host such events by the end of 2014. For, the department has selected DDF Consultants Pvt. Ltd to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on the proposed facility.
According to sources, the department is likely to sign an agreement with Consultants Pvt. Ltd by the end of this month and the company would get four months to prepare the detailed project report.
A dream project of chief minister Nitish Kumar, the convention centre is to likely be developed over an area of 47,955sq metre or 12acres near Gandhi Maidan at an estimated cost of Rs. 274.20 crore.
The sources said the convention centre would be developed on a plot marked for the residences of the district and sessions judge, several legislators, the divisional office of BCD, the superintendent, the civil surgeon and a proposed police office. Sources in the building construction department said the buildings would be razed to build the International Convention Cen-tre by the end of 2014.
Building construction minister Damodar Raut told The Telegraph: “It has been observed that the increasing number of famous people, government and non-government organisations from across the world are being invited to Patna for various conferences and other events. Such events are helpful for the for the state’s development. However, in the absence of any exclusive convention centre, many common people are not getting benefits of such events.”
He added: “According to the requirements and the ideology of chief minister Nitish Kumar, we have decided to develop the proposed International Convention Centre near Gandhi Maidan because it is in the heart of the city. The state cabinet gave its nod to the scheme on January 20. Our department has also selected the firm, which would prepare the DPR for the project. Our plan is to complete the work by the end of 2014.”
The sources said the state cabinet had on March 10, 2010 given its in-principal approval for the development of the centre on an area spread across 12acres. On December 12, 2011, the building construction department approved the preliminary project report prepared by an architect selected through national competitive bidding on August 11, 2010.
The sources added that the proposed centre would have a main convention hall on a built-up area of 18,450sqkm and a seating capacity for 5000. There would be another hall, called Gyan Bhavan.
