The chief minister may still be striving to recreate the Thames waterfront along the Hooghly but this bridge across the lake between Bangur and Lake Town is a sight to behold, especially when it is lit up in the evening. The 20m-long bridge cost Rs 1.05 crore. “I saw a picture on the Internet and modelled the bridge on that,” said Mriganka Bhattacharya, the former chairman-in-council, public works, of South Dum Dum Municipality, and the man behind the beautification. The tenure of the last Trinamul-run board ended on July 19 and elections are now pending.

The bridge and the walkway, curiously named The Eden Walkway, around it have turned into a popular hang-out for local residents of all ages. Fountains on the water, soft strains of music and a vast stretch of open space make Eco-Nest a pleasant package. “This is a happening place.

A lot of young as well as elderly people take a stroll, sit on the benches and chat among themselves. It gets quite crowded in the evenings,” said Rahul Kanodia, a resident of Lake Town. Temporary food stalls have also come up to cater to the visitors.

A bull, an owl and even the Greek god Atlas greet visitors. The figures are too disparate to suggest a theme but they make for an imposing sight.

Durga has wrapped up her stay in the city pandals for this year, but not at Debi Ghat in Golaghata. Terracotta models depicting an immersion procession line the banks of the waterbody. The municipality has recently concretised the banks and installed lights. “We have installed models in two other adjacent parks. We have also set up slides, a see-saw and a swing for children,” Bhattacharya said.

It’s an animal world out there. Elephant topiaries to models of giraffes and a life-like rhinoceros to an orang-utan — they are all there.

(Top) Kathburo, Tyansh Goru, Khuro (of Khuror Kol) and other characters from Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol dot Abol Tabol Park, off Bangur Avenue. Giant models of some more kiddie favourites — Chhota Bheem, Bal Ganesh and Doraemon — can be seen along the waterbody.

The road is lined with pictures of famous personalities from Subhas Chandra Bose to Utpal Dutt and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan to “Banglar Rupakar” Mamata Banerjee. All lanes off Bangur Avenue now boast boards with detailed numbers of the houses on the street. The office of Ward 29 on Bangur Avenue too has had a makeover. The glass front gives it the appearance of a corporate office. “We had decided that all wards of our municipality should have an office. This one was built last year,” Bhattacharya said.

Text by Subhajoy Roy
Pictures by Bishwarup Dutta