In the months to come, the township should witness a cyber crime awareness camp and a wellness fair with various hospitals showcasing their facilities. The announcement was made at a meeting by the Association of Bidhannagar Citizens (ABC) at Rabindra Okakura Bhavan recently.
ABC is an apolitical forum that aims to address everyday concerns of residents, and at this meeting, many came forward to share their grievances and outline plans for the coming months. It was launched in December 2024 with a similar interface with residents but on a smaller scale.
“People believe that in Salt Lake, paying for services is enough and neighbours rarely interact beyond Durga puja festivities. But during the pandemic, we witnessed something different,” said film director Satarupa Sanyal, who is currently the president of the forum, while welcoming the audience. “When people were isolated in their homes, many stepped up to help, especially senior citizens who live alone, often with children settled outside Bengal or India, and who are forced to rely on house helps or nurses. That’s what inspired us to form this forum — so we can come together, find solutions, and improve our quality of life.”
President Satarupa Sanyal welcomes the audience at the citizens’ meet
Forum secretary Ritesh Basak clarified that ABC is not a platform for block committee representatives but a space driven by residents themselves. “This forum is designed to listen to the voices of ordinary citizens. We shall support residents by raising issues with the appropriate authorities and offering help during emergencies. We want to be a single point of contact that people can turn to in times of need,” he said. “We aren’t claiming to solve every issue overnight, but it’s a start. We’ve already taken up several concerns with the Corporation and the commissioner, and have seen some progress,” he said.
In the coming year, Basak said they planned to hold an awareness seminar on cybercrime. “This is an issue particularly affecting the elderly, so it needs to be addressed. We’re also planning a wellness fair, inviting hospitals to showcase the services they offer. During the Pujas, we hope to introduce a Sharad Samman award too,” he said.
Road to improvement
The auditorium was nearly full, with many residents expressing hope that the forum would make a difference.
Asit Basu of AE Block raised concerns about road conditions. “The inner lanes in our block haven’t been repaired in years. Occasionally, the area near the market gets patched up, but what about the rest? We are scared to even walk there,” said the 75-year-old.
Residents from BB Block shared concerns about parking. “Many households own more than one car, but lack adequate parking facilities. They park along the lanes, making it difficult for pedestrians,” said Nisith Ranjan Chowdhury. An AA Block resident highlighted the growing number of spas in Salt Lake too.
“The idea of this group is promising,” said Ritam De of HA Block. “There are many problems we face daily, but we don’t know who to approach. Even when we raise them with block committees, they often go unresolved.”
Assistant secretary Shuvamoy Mitra said their upcoming meetings would be discussion-based, where citizens shall speak freely,” said Shuvamoy Mitra, assistant secretary of ABC. “While other organisations are also emerging, our focus is not on praising existing bodies but on making them accountable to the people. At the end of the day, we all want Salt Lake to be a better place to live in.”
Shatadipa Bhattacharya
Write to saltlake@abp.in
