For instance, the traffic and transportation plan pinpoints the roads to be widened or extended, specifies areas where flyovers and new roads are to be built and indicates roads on which traffic has to be restricted.

Similarly, specific schemes to build water treatment plants, reservoirs and underground pipelines have been identified.

Officials estimate that about Rs 1,000 crore will be needed every year to put the plans to action. The funds will be drawn from the budgetary allocations of departments like transport, urban development, environment and irrigation, Calcutta Municipal Corporation and the PWD.

Additional funds will also be sought from the Centre and agencies like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, besides countries like Italy, Germany and France.

This is not the first time the state government has attempted to inject order into its development path.

The Basic Development Plan (BDP) was drawn up in 1966 with guidelines for development projects over the next two decades.

Based on this, in 1967, master plans for traffic and transportation, water supply and drainage, sewerage and sanitation were drawn up.

The traffic and transportation master plan was meant to see the government through on the issue of traffic flow till 1986. It was upgraded during the tercentenary celebrations of the city in the 1990s.

The other two plans were applicable till 2000.

The same year, the government felt that rising population and vehicular traffic called for a fresh perspective, which resulted in Vision 2025.