A patch of land in Alipore that used to be a cow shelter has metamorphosed into a multi-facility cultural complex called Uttirna, next to the Women’s Correctional Home. The two-acre compound has an open-air theatre and a six-storey building that houses several facilities — 10,000 sq ft of office space, guest rooms, dormitories, a media centre and even a rooftop café. One of the floors has a 12,000sq ft banquet hall. Ramps have been built for people needing mobility assistance to reach any of the floors without much difficulty. The ramps lead to the second floor of the building, from where elevators are available. A senior engineer in the PWD, which built the amphitheatre and the six-storey structure, said it had not been decided yet how the open-air theatre, café and banquet facilities would be run. “These decisions will be taken later,” he said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to inaugurate Uttirna on Friday evening, when she visits Alipore for a Civil Services Day programme. Metro provides a sneak peek into Calcutta’s newest cultural complex on the eve of its opening.

Pictures by Pradip Sanyal