Residents of New Town got a gift this Bengali New Year. The New Town Clock Plaza, opposite Home Town Mall, was inaugurated on April 15. The central attraction of the plaza is the 23m high clock tower with four fountains at its four corners and ample seating options.

The inauguration ceremony took place in presence of Justice Ashim Banerjee along with Debashis Sen, principal secretary, urban development department, Saurabh Kumar Das, principal secretary, public health engineering, and Gopal Chandra Ghosh, CEO of New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA).

“This clock tower will act as a public square for New Town. It is designed as a place where people can hang out in the evenings and relax. I am sure that in the coming years this will prove to be a popular place,” said Sen, who is also the chairman of NKDA that built the plaza.

Das, who stays in Action Area II in New Town, heaped praise on the township as well as the plaza. “As a resident, I can vouch for the fact that the civic amenities of this place have been planned and executed properly. The clock plaza is another feather to this modern township’s cap,” said Das.

This opening of the plaza occasioned a two-day fun fiesta, organised by NKDA and Hidco, on April 14 and 15 at the base of the clock tower. A sit-and-draw competition for children was held on the first day and saw enthusiastic participation from children from not only New Town and Rajarhat but from many parts of Calcutta. “I have come from Jadavpur. My mother brought me here,” said Kaustav Ghoshal, a school student.

On the second day, a talent hunt named “New Town New Masters” drew quite a large crowd. Teams could compete in antakshari and skit while individual performers had a separate category.

“I sing in my free time. It feels great to be here and the tower looks quite good when lit up,” said Kanak Ganguly, a software developer working in Sector V who came all the way from his Konnnagar residence despite the holiday.
The 10 food stalls drew the largest crowd. “The variety of food here is just awesome. We had chicken roast and are now looking for a drink to quench our thirst,” said Madhuparna Bagchi, a New Town resident who was spotted studying Paramount’s menu card.

The laser lighting planned for the tower will be inaugurated at a later date, sources said.