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Upgrade To Woo Tourists ,Govt Decide To Beautify 4 Destinations In City

By Nishant, Section Tourism
Posted on Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 04:34:50 AM EST

The state government has decided to take up a Rs 7.61-crore project to beautify four destinations in the city.

Destination Calcutta, which is awaiting the Centre's approval, will cover Subhas Sarobar, Calcutta Police Museum, Chinatown and Dakshineswar Temple.

As part of the upgrade, meant to draw tourists in larger numbers, the government will undertake landscaping and set up parks, tourist shelters, information counters and open-air performance centres.

"Illumination, solid waste management and development of sewerage are among the thrust areas," said Muhammad Saidul Haque, the general manager of the state tourism development corporation.

"The idea behind Destination Calcutta is to turn the city into a favourable tourist spot," said tourism secretary Bijoy Chatterjee. "We have selected these four spots because they are not maintained properly and do not have adequate infrastructure."

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Subhas Sarobar and its surrounding open space, spread across 100 acres, are in a deplorable state, said Haque. "It has become a place for washing clothes and bathing. The garbage dumped in the lake has made it an eyesore. It needs to be improved."

Chinatown, in the eastern part of the city, was once home to around 20,000 ethnic Chinese. Now, the count has dropped to 2,000. But the area is still famous for the restaurants, where both traditional Chinese and Indian Chinese food are available.

"We want to develop Chinatown as a city within a city. It will have gates and walls separating it from the rest of Calcutta," said Haque.

The Calcutta Police Museum reflects the tradition and history of policing in our city and is a repository of invaluable documents, photographs and arms. It traces the history of the Calcutta police since its inception in 1704.

The exhibits include various items seized during the freedom struggle

Source: The Telegraph 07/July/2008

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