Calcutta: The Calcutta Book Fair may move out of Milan Mela in 2018.

The state government has decided to bring about some changes at the fair ground opposite Science City, prompting the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, the organisers of the annual book fair, to scout for an alternative venue.

Sources at Nabanna said the government would invest several crores of rupees to overhaul the Milan Mela ground on the lines of Pragati Maidan in Delhi. Architects and engineers working on the project said the makeover could take almost a year.

"The revamp is likely to start by the year-end. The exact date for commencement of the work is yet to be decided, though," said an official of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, the custodian of the ground.

The government has asked the guild that it needs to look for an alternative venue if work at Milan Mela starts this year-end. A team of guild representatives went on a location hunting after the Puja and checked out a few venues, including Gitanjali Stadium in Kasba, Yuba Bharati Krirangan and Central Park in Salt Lake and a ground off Eco Park in New Town.

"A decision will be taken in another 10 days," Sudhangshu Dey of the guild said.

Many publishers and readers are against shifting the fair to New Town. "The township can never attract the kind of footfall that Milan Mela does even if special buses are provided," a publisher said.

The 42nd edition of the fair is scheduled to start on January 30 and continue till February 11. The theme country will be France. Guild insiders said the theme country would have to be informed "well in advance" about the venue.

A festival titled Bonjour Kolkata will be held during the book fair to celebrate the cultural and literary ties between France and Calcutta.