Calcutta: Big chunks of land unlocked from closed factories on either side of the Grand Trunk Road is turning Hooghly district into the latest hotspot for large-scale real estate development.

At least two developers, one national and the other local, have hit the market promising self-sufficient townships at an affordable cost, while a few more are said to be preparing for launch.

Shiram City, the developer from South India, was the first off the block with a mega 314-acre development on a land that once used to be the home of Bengal's first and only car manufacturing plant, Hind Motors. Shriram is launching the second phase of the project comprising 1,000 apartments, following up on the first phase of 900 odd flats.

Alcove Realty has come up with "New Kolkata" a 28-acre development, modest compared with Shriram but large in respect to the rest of projects in and around Calcutta. Alcove converted a closed cotton mill that separated the Hooghly river and GT Road in Serampore, less than 20 km from Hindustan Motor's Uttarpara plant, which is being used by Shriram.

"Howrah-Hooghly belt is where industries had historically come up. Since many of them have now closed or moved out, large tracts of land parcels are available, provided conversion is allowed by the state government for change of end use, from industrial to residential," Jitendra Khaitan, chairman of Pioneer Properties Management Ltd, said. He is marketing Shriram City as well as Joyville, a Shapoorji Pallonji project close to Dankuni in Howrah.

Large-scale projects like these will test the appetite of the market which is still lacking sales momentum.

Architect Hafeez Contractor, who is associated with the Alcove project, said New Kolkata was offering a lifestyle not just real estate. "If the product is good and priced right, it will sell," Contractor said.

Amarnath Shroff, chairman of Alcove, said it was in discussion with the Future group to run a mall. It is also in talks with Inox for a multiplex and JLL to manage a club. There will be a school and a primary healthcare facility for the 5,000 odd flat buyers.

Communication with Calcutta will be key to the success of any such project. While Shriram is banking on the road and rail network, Alcove has decided to go a step further. "We are going to run ferry service from our township to Millennium Park in Calcutta and Dakhineshwar where metro link will be in place," said Yashaswi Shroff, director of Alcove.

Above all, completion in time will hold the key to success in a sluggish market.