The 94-year-old Bengal Club, which underwent a total makeover last year, will add new facilities, like a gym and a conference hall, for members soon and is expecting financial support from none other than minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy.
"We had already submitted a letter to the minister and he has assured us of help from his MLA fund to the tune of Rs 9 lakh. We are happy that the minister has extended support for the development of the club that will help us make it one of the best cultural hubs of the steel city," said Bengal Club general secretary Raja Chowdhury.
While the website is expected to be up and live by the first week of March, the gymnasium is expected to start sometime in April. The plan for having a conference hall has been undertaken with corporate houses in mind.
According to a member of the club's managing committee, the gymnasium will have two treadmills, a bench, a multigym set, suspensions and other basic equipment. Initially, the gym will be for club members and their families. Later, the club may open it for the public.
The conference room, equipped with a sound system and a projector, will be able to accommodate 40. It will be ideal for corporates and business houses for hosting meetings.
Bengal Club, said the general secretary, was on its second phase of renovation after it's makeover last year. The new-look club was inaugurated by chief minister Rag-hubar Das on March 6, 2016. It boasts of a main hall that can host 1,200 guests, six rooms and a banquet hall for 250 people on the first floor.
Eight CCTV cameras have been installed for better security. The total renovation cost of the club was Rs 1.5 crore.
Chowdhury said the website would help them communicate with members easily and keep them updated about upcoming events.
"A website is the need of the hour. We are currently working on its content. After this, we want to redo the facade. It's too old now so it needs repairs and a new look. We are also planning to renovate the Acharya Nanadalal Bose Art Gallery," he added.
