Calcutta, July 28: With love from comrade-ruled Bengal — a nuclear deal.

But before the state’s presiding Marxists get apoplectic, America isn’t in the picture at all.

A Calcutta company has developed a special shelter that can withstand nuclear attacks and is scheduled to supply them to the defence ministry over the next two years.

Titagarh Wagons Ltd (TWL), an industry partner of defence research organisation DRDO, will supply 45 integrated field shelters — popularly known as NBC shelters — that can protect lives in case of a nuclear, biological or a chemical attack.

The shelters are designed in a way that protects occupants from nuclear radiation and biological or chemical contamination.

Designed by DRDO, the TWL-made prototypes of the shelters have already cleared field trials.

“We will supply these shelters over the next 18-24 months,” TWL vice-chairman and managing director Umesh Chowdhary said in Calcutta today.

The Rs 32-crore order “could be doubled” if the defence ministry wants, Chowdhary added.

The movable steel shelters, to be placed three feet underground, can accommodate 30 people and will have a special ventilation system besides chemical toilets and decontaminated suits.

All entirely in national interest, which the Left accused the Centre of compromising under American pressure and tried to kill the US nuclear deal before being bushwhacked in Parliament.

Chowdhary said only two companies in India were now involved in making such integrated field shelters. “We will manufacture them either in our Uttarpara or Titagarh plant,” he added.

Defence experts say such underground shelters should function as field command centres where senior commanders, insulated against NBC attacks, can direct battle during wars.

The company, which makes railway wagons and EMU coaches, is also in the process of setting up a joint venture firm with US company Freight Car America to manufacture aluminium wagons.

General Electric, the world’s largest conglomerate, is a stakeholder in TWL.