The Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) has decided to set up a diplomatic enclave in New Town, Rajarhat. The 40-plus foreign missions across the city will have the option to move to the enclave after buying plots there.

“We have identified land in Action Area II of the township for the diplomatic estate,” said Goutam Deb, the state minister for housing and public health engineering.

According to Hidco, the implementing agency of the township, around 250 acres have been allocated for setting up the enclave. “The diplomatic missions in the city will have to buy plots at the rate prevalent in the residential areas of the township. The rates now vary from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per cottah,” said a Hidco official.

There are more than 40 foreign missions — mostly consulates or deputy high commissions — in the city. “If they approach us, we will provide them land in the proposed enclave. Once the missions buy land, they will be free to construct buildings as they like, adhering to our building rules,” the official added.

The space earmarked for the enclave has been calculated after taking into consideration the strength of the foreign missions. “We got the number and the strength of the missions from the external affairs ministry. There will be no space crunch. Rather, there will be enough open space in the area after the missions set up their offices,” asserted the official.

The Hidco authorities said representatives of the US consulate in Calcutta have contacted them and expressed interest in purchasing land in the diplomatic enclave.

“We are aware of the government’s plan to come up with a diplomatic area… We are interested in shifting there, though we are yet to get all the details of the proposed diplomatic area,” said Douglas G. Kelly, the director of the American Center.