Salt Lake civic body gets 10lakh for battling outbreak

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Kolkata: The urban development department on Tuesday approved Rs 10 lakh for Bidhannagar Municipality to carry on with its anti-dengue drive in Salt Lake. 

The municipality has already sent notices to 225 houses in the township for not following the civic body’s instructions of keeping the surroundings clean and not letting stagnant water to accumulate. Civic authorities have found that blocks like BG, BJ, CK, AE and FD are the worst affected by dengue. 

According to the latest figures with the civic authorities, which they have collected from the health department, the number of dengueaffected people in the township stands at 197, though unofficial numbers are much higher. 

The civic authorities are spraying oil and bleaching powder in all blocks. Rapid action force teams that have been formed for inspection in the township have so far checked about 7,600 houses, out of which mosquito larvae was found within the surroundings of over 2,700 houses. The civic authorities are sending them notices and asking people to remove stagnant water within the next seven days, failing which the authorities will impose a fine of Rs 1,000. Also, a team of 208 nurses are making rounds in the township. 

In neighbouring Rajarhat, anti-mosquito oil and bleaching powder are being sprayed. Special teams have been formed to contact people, generate awareness and get feedback. Atemporary medical camp has been set up on the main arterial road in Action Area-II and an ambulance is also in place for any emergency situation to take patients to hospitals.

Tax collection to resume in Salt Lake

Suman Chakraborti TNN 

Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Municipality is all set to restart the process of collecting property tax. The civic body had started collecting taxes in March, but the process had to be stalled a couple of weeks later after some confusion over tax calculation surfaced. 

“We are going to restart collecting property tax soon. Tax rates will be based on the old, 2005 rates as directed by minister Firhad Hakim,” said Bidhannagar Municipality chairperson Krishna Chakraborty. 
 

According to the old tax structure, those who have an annual valuation of their property between Rs 1 and Rs 999 will have to pay a tax of 3.5% of the annual valuation. The tax rate will go up to 10.5% for property that has an annual valuation of over Rs 10,000 (See chart). The civic authorities are expecting to collect around Rs 9 crore in the form of property tax this fiscal. 
Officials said that bills of those who have already paid their taxes will be adjusted and fresh bills will be sent to those who did not pay their bills in March. According to sources in the civic body, Bidhannagar Municipality had collected a total of Rs 6.57 crore in the form of taxes in a couple of weeks in March. “We have almost completed the process of calculating the tax rate based on pre-2005 rates and will start dispatching the bills soon,” said a civic official. 

Tax collection in Salt Lake remained suspended for a few years in the past. On February this year, the civic body sent a notice to the residents that the municipality will start collecting tax for fiscal 2010-11, 2011-12 and arrears from 2007 to 2010. There was a mad rush to pay taxes after the bills were dispatched. But many residents started complaining that the tax bills they received were not matching pre-2005 rates. The civic authorities then sought intervention of urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim. The tax collection process was stopped after the minister admitted that there was confusion over the tax bills. There were some miscalculations in the tax bills that was prepared.

Wife ill, vice-chairman slams civic body

Suman Chakraborti TNN 

Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Municipality, which has drawn severe flak from Salt Lake residents for not taking adequate steps to control the dengue outbreak, was slammed by none other than its own vice-chairman Sabyasachi Datta on Wednesday. Datta’s wife Indrani Datta, a former councillor, has been suffering from dengue for the last 10 days. 

Datta, who stays in DL Block and is also the Rajarhat MLA, said the civic authorities were not taking proper measures to control the outbreak, which has reached almost epidemic proportions in Salt Lake. “More than thousands have been affected by dengue here. My wife is down with it, too. I officially informed the SDO about it, but nobody from the municipality bothered to turn up to see my wife. The health inspector only said that he was sorry to learn this,” Datta said. 

Datta also came down heavily on municipality chairperson Krisna Chakraborty. “As a resident of Salt Lake, I can say that yes, dengue cases are being reported from here. As the local councillor, I can say that my ward is very much affected and as the vice-chairman of the municipality, I do not know how to prevent the outbreak. Till today, the chairperson could not provide the exact figure of dengue cases in Salt Lake,” Datta fumed. Datta, who is the councillor of blocks BF, CF, CE, DE and DF, said all these areas are much affected. 

Chakraborty, however, said the civic body was taking all necessary steps to control the outbreak. “We are doing everything possible. We are working to create more awareness, too, so that we can prevent the spreading of the disease. I don’t know what Datta has said, but I don’t believe in politics over this issue. I have heard that his wife has had a dengue attack and I had called her up, too,” said the civic chief. 

Officials said a team of 50 civic workers was making rounds of the township, visiting 40 houses daily to spread awareness and distributing leaflets in the localities. They are also checking the houses and localities for stagnant water. The civic authorities are thinking of imposing spot fines on residents for not taking steps to keep their houses free of accumulated water.

Bidhannagar Municipality vice-chairman Sabyasachi Datta’s wife Indrani, a former councillor, is suffering from dengue

Dengue makes deadly comeback

Salt Lake Worst Hit But Civic Body Yet To Take Action, Docs Blame Uncertain Monsoon For Outbreak

Sumati Yengkhom TNN 

Kolkata: Dengue is swarming the city this season. Doctors agree that it may be the worst outbreak since 2005. 
    The actual intensity is still being assessed, but the indications are grim. Hospitals on the fringes have admitted scores of dengue patients in the last four weeks but the actual number of victims is many times more because only about 20% cases need hospitalization. 
    Salt Lake has taken the worst hit, so far. If the number of patients being treated at hospitals in the township and along EM Bypass is any indication, it 
is high time for the civic body to press the panic button. 
    “Forty-six patients have tested positive for dengue in the laboratory attached to our hospital alone in the past four weeks,” said a source at aSalt Lake hospital. Dr Soumitra Dutta, principal consultant (paediatrician) at Columbia Asia Hospitals, said at least 15 children affected with dengue were admitted to the hospital in last week alone. 
    The sporadic rain pattern this monsoon, accompanied by high humidity, has triggered the comeback of dengue, say dengue. 
    The advice from doctors is that if you have high fever with severe headache and body pain, don’t ignore it as just another viral fever. It could well be dengue and you should go for a blood test. 
    Take the case of Ranjeeta Chakrabory. The young home maker from BS block had high fever and body pain for a few days and it was a while before she went to a doctor. A blood test confirmed dengue and she was immediately hospitalized. After five days of treatment, she was discharged on Monday. 
    “Apart from her, I know of at least five persons in mySalt Lake neighbourhood who have tested positive for dengue in the past few weeks. The muncipality seems to be sleeping over this menace. We have barely come across any mosquito- controlling measures. I have not seen any fogging in the locality in the last two years,” said Ranjeeta’s husband Shantanu Chakraborty. 
    Accumulation of stagnant water, high humidity, uncleared bushes, piling up of garbage and absence of mosquito management exercises have aggravated the situation, said sources. 
    “I come across at least one dengue patient every day, having treated about 10 patients per day in the past 10 days in the hospital. If anyone is suffering from fever as high as 103/104 degrees Fahrenheit, along with headache, body pain, dehydration and nausea, it’s best to consult a doctor right away,” said consultant physician (internal medicine) Dr Subhasis Ganguly. 
    Fever triggered by the dengue virus does not respond to the normal dosage of paracetamol, say doctors. If left untreated, the viral attack could lead to secondary infections affecting organs like the liver, kidney and the heart. 
    “After the dengue outbreak in 2005, there have been sporadic cases every year. But this year it seems to be higher, particularly in Salt Lake and its vicinity, where I have treated about 15 patients in last three weeks. But the severity of the attack is less than the one in 2005,” said paediatrician Dr Subrata Chakraborty. 
    “But there is no reason to panic. We have treated about 29 dengue patients in our hospital so far this year. The positive note is that diagnosis through the blood test can be done in two hours and hence the treatment can be started early,” said Dr Rupali Basu, CEO, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals. 
    Dr Basabbijay Sarkar, consultant physician of Fortis Hospital, has seen about 14 patients in his Salt Lake clinic in the past month apart from treating an equal number of patients in the hospital. “If we count Day 1 as the onset of dengue, all complications will appear in the next seven to eight days. There is a tendency for the blood platelet to go down in the patient. Timely treatment is very important,” said Dr Sarkar. 
    Even as health officials tried to project the situation as not alarming, doctors practising in and around the township and hospitals are flooded with dengue patients. Sampurnaa Saha (11), a Class-V student from GC block in Salt Lake, was admitted to Columbia Asia on Wednesday night. “Since there weren’t enough beds, my daughter was in the emergency ward all of Wednesday night. She got a bed only on Thursday,” said the girl’s father Sujay Saha. 
    “Out of 10 children affected with dengue, only about two need hospitalization, the rest are advised treatment at home. I practise mainly inSalt Lake and my chamber is flooded with dengue suspects, mostly children. I have admitted at least 15 children in the past one week. Therefore, one can well imagine the magnitude of the dengue menace,” said Dr Dutta of Columbia Asia. 
    Health department spokesperson Dr Asit Biswas said that the they are monitoring the situation closely. “Cases of dengue are being reported from different localities, including Salt Lake. We will soon meet the hospitals and representatives of Bidhanagar municipality,” said Biswas.

Sec V to get ring road, parking lot

Kolkata: In an effort to decongest Sector V and reduce the travel time between SDF Building More and 215A bus stand, the Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) is going to construct a ring road along the waterbody behind the Webel office. The authorities will lay the foundation stone of the road on Thursday. 
    Also, the NDITA has identified a car-parking lot near 215A bus stand. It will be thrown open for the public on the same day. According to NDITA chairman and commerce and industries 
secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Rs 10 crore has been earmarked to construct the road. “As of now, there is no road on the proposed stretch. Once this road comes up, commuters will benefit from it immensely,” he said. 
    At present, commuters take the road along the SDF Building, Webel Crossing and College More before taking right turn to connect with 215A bus stand. However, there is no short-cut between these two busiest locations of the IT hub. During rush hours, commuters face huge traffic snarls to cover this 3-km stretch. NDITA officials feel the proposed 2.5-km ring road will help commuters cut the travel time between these two points. 
    Besides, the civic authority will also throw open a 1-acre car parking lot near 215A bus stand on Thursday for public use. “The lot will be able to accommodate about 150 cars for parking,” said NDITA chief executive officer B N Kar. This will considerably help minimizing the long-standing problem of illegal parking that Sector V has been facing over the years. The authorities are also working on setting up a multitier parking plaza in place of the current CSTC bus depot near the Wipro office. 
    As long-term plans, the authorities are mulling an option to develop intercity bus links where buses would ferry passengers within Sector V. Earlier, it was decided that no new bus routes would be permitted to ply in Sector V as there was much pressure already. 
    Apart from laying the foundation stone of the ring road and opening of the parking lot, the NDITA will also inaugurate two parks on Thursday. “I feel happy that we are not only taking decisions but ensuring that the projects are actually implemented,” said NDITA board member Suparno Moitra.

Blue-and-white makeover for Salt Lake soon

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Kolkata: After Trinamool Congress came to power in May last year, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had untaken a project to paint the city in chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s favourite colors — blue and white. And now, Bidhannagar Municipality is catching up with the city civic body by givingSalt Lake a new blue-andwhite look. 
    To begin with, the municipality has started painting its 
five-storey building. According to officials, next in line are the traffic islands, pavements and the dividers. A fresh coat of paint is a part of the township’s beautification plans, a civic official said. 
    “Not only the municipality building, the walls of the traffic islands and road sides will also be painted in blue and white in several parts of the township, along with the trident street lighting,” he said. A portion of the walls surrounding Central Park has also been painted in blue and white. Officials in Bidhannagar Municipality feelSalt Lake has abundant greenery and the new colours will give the township a catchy look. 
    Recently, the civic authorities handed over the maintenance work for the township’s traffic islands to advertising agencies that use them commercially. According to sources, billboards that have been put up inside the traffic islands will be removed soon and the urban development department will renovate these islands before painting them. 
    At present, the civic body maintains over 50 big and small parks in Salt Lake. However, the department is working on a holistic plan to engage private players to beautify parks, waterbodies, ponds, median dividers and pavements not only inSalt Lake but in other areas like Rajarhat New Town, Sector V and Kalyani as well. Selected companies will be entrusted with maintaining the areas they beautify, a senior official said. 
    “We welcome this initiative of painting the township in blue and white. However, we feel strongly that equal attention should be given on repairing some of the roads that are in very poor shape. With smooth roads, the beautification programme could have received a holistic look,” said Bidhannagar welfare association secretary K S Sadhu.

The new-look Bidhannagar Municipality building

Govt mulls legal stamp on Salt Lake plot sale

Suman Chakraborti TNN 

Sale of leasehold residential property in Salt Lake is going to be legalized soon. 

    The Mamata Banerjee government plans to allow transfer of lease in the township for a fee. Most of the land in Salt Lake belongs to the urban development department and the government will fix the fee. 

    The state Cabinet meeting is likely to discuss the proposal on Tuesday. Salt Lake residents had been waiting for this for a long time. 

    If things go according to plan, plot-holders in Salt Lake can legally monetize their property by paying the government stamp duty, registration fees or some other levy. 

    “Leasehold land won’t turn into freehold land. We are mulling allowing transfer of lease but only with the permission of the government,” urban development minister Firhad Hakim said. 

    The government will continue to enjoy ownership rights and also earn revenue that it had missed out on earlier when property changed hands in Salt Lake under cover. 

    The Bidhannagar Municipality could never stop the under hand deals unless the original lessee walked up to register a formal complaint. 

    The proposal was doing the rounds since the days of the Left Front government but was allowed only for commercial properties. A case is pending in the court over the change of a commercial property into a residential highrise in HB block.Govt to fix lease fee per cottah 

    Once the proposal to legalise the sale of residential plots in Salt Lake gets through in the state Cabinet on Tuesday, the government will evaluate the plots in the township and fix a price for the transfer of lease per cottah. 

    Illegal sale of plots in Salt Lake caught the notice of the Mamata Banerjee government soon after the Trinamool Congress came to power in May, 2011. The government has been trying to find a way out since then. 

    Plots in Salt Lake were leased for a 999-year tenure in the 1970s to enable middleclass people to settle in the township on the condition that the leaseholders cannot transfer their plots. 

    According to the present rules, residential plots cannot be sold or transferred as the plot holders are actually lease holders and not owners. But later, some genuine problems cropped up. 

    The family increased at least by two-fold within a span of 50 years and the lessee could not do justice to all his/her children, because leasehold property can’t be partitioned and distributed among the heirs. 

    This prompted some to sell out the property illegally for a huge amount of money. According to estimates, out of the 12,000 plots in the township, almost 35% of the plots have been transferred or sold illegally. Plots measuring a cottah, which were originally leased out for about Rs 5,000, have been sold illegally for lakhs, say sources. Many such transfers are in the process with the help of touts and many houses have been illegally sold more than once.

Salt Lake Rabindra Bhavan plot ready Suman Chakraborti TNN  Kolkata: Salt Lake will get its own Rabindra Bhavan very soon. Bidhannagar Municipality will start building the structure this year on a 36-cottah plot cleared by the state government. The building, to be located at Salt Lake’s FE Block adjoining Central Park, will be the municipality’s tribute to Rabindranath Tagore on his 150th birth anniversary.      Bidhannagar Municipality chairperson Krishna Chakraborty said the plot has been finalized and the civic authorities will start work very soon. “We will kick off the project very soon,” she said. The municipality plans to foot the estimated Rs 10 lakh project cost from the revenue it earned from the Bidhannagar Fair it organized at Salt Lake’s Central Park last winter.      The building will be either a three- or four-storied structure with a statue of Tagore in front. Besides an auditorium for cultural programmes, it will have an exhibition room, art galleries and a library to showcase and display the works of the bard. The Bhavan will also have rooms for use by students and scholars researching Tagore, along with a cafeteria. The civic body will appoint architects to prepare a building plan.      The project had been on the anvil for quite some time. Residents ofSalt Lake had, for long, been demanding a centre on Rabindranath Tagore to facilitate research on the bard. Residents had also suggested that the centre have a stage for performing Tagore’s plays and musical repertoires.      Following the demand, the previous Left-run municipality had come up with a plan to set up a Rabindra Bhavan and had asked the urban development department for a plot. The civic authorities had got a triangular plot, but the then civic engineers had said that it was not suitable for construction of the Bhavan. The project got delayed after civic authorities requested the government to earmark another plot.      It was only after Trinamool Congress took over the reins of Bidhannagar Municipality and Mamata Banerjee came to power that an initiative was taken to revive the project.

Salt Lake turns Puja hot spot

Innovative Concepts To Pull Crowd

Ajanta Chakraborty & Suman Chakraborti TNN

Kolkata: Priyanka Ghosh lives in Behala, which has its own share of high-profile pujas. But every Durga Puja, she reserves a whole day only to visit pandals at the other extreme of the city in Salt Lake.
    Her love affair with Salt Lake pujas began in 1998 when FD Block recreated Titanic. “Since then, booking an entire day for Salt Lake has become a ritual. We start after an early lunch and return late at night,” the 38-year-old homemaker quipped as she remarked: “I wonder if it will be Panchami or Shashti this time.”
    And, for FD block resident Simontini Das, it’s only Salt Lake during the Pujas. So, when was the last time she had gone pandal-hopping in other parts of the city? The 35-yearold shrugs, “Years ago. Before I was married and moved to Salt Lake. I have never felt the need to venture out of Salt Lake during Pujas.”
    Both Ghosh and Das — with their respective pandal-hopping preferences — are busy drawing up their must-see list of Salt Lake pandals. And the list doesn’t necessarily include F D Block. Pandals in the township have come a long way since the “Titanic era”. HB Block Residents’ Association secretary Abhijit Chandra vouches for that.
    “Initially, our pandal became a hit simply because we were just across FD. But now, our puja, all of 27 years, has an identity of its own,” he says.
    Little wonder then that planning starts months ahead. The TOI team found murals being conceived with care to depict Ram’s ‘Akal Bodhon’. “Ours will be an innovation based on tradition. It’s bound to be a major stop-over,” claimed Chandra. The concept has been meticulously worked out by Prabir Saha of the Government Art College and is being implemented at a cost of Rs 12 lakh.
    Concepts as opposed to themes seem to be the order of the day at Salt Lake pandals. The one coming up on the park at AE (part I) Block looks quaint with a 40-foot waterbody dug up. In the midst are scores of ladders in different hues. Secretary Supriyo Chakraborty explains: “Our slogan is Matir Tane Mati Mukhi.” The pandal depicts the ups and downs of humanity — the ladders symbolizing the struggle to stay afloat.
    “The best thing about Salt Lake puja pandals is high art within a mediocre budget,” explains Soumendra Banerjee, a resident of AE (part I) Block. “Among the 112 pujas (one in each ward), around 50 are exceptionally good. But the thrust is on character rather than cost. A lot of thought and professionalism goes into the making each pandal.” According to Banerjee, who once lived in Manicktala, “Most of pandals live up to the middle-class para culture which is woven into the ambience. No wonder, the average budget isn’t more than
Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.”
    Painter Suvaprasanna, however, feels that Salt Lake has a “readymade ambience”, but it’s not quite middle-class. When I started living here, I thought this was a township for NRIs — far removed from the old world charm of north Kolkata. It’s tranquil against Kolkata’s vibrancy. More and more people are thronging these pandals for the sheer combine of comfort and aesthetics.”
    But then, it’s a competitive world. So what if it’s only restricted within the borders of the township. Every pandal is vying to give the other a run for footfall. The “concept” raked up by the organisers of BE East puja committee is “Shomoy Akhon” (time now). Into its 32nd year, the pandal will resemble a sundial showing the continuous passage of time. Budget? Not more than Rs 11.25 lakh.
    The “concept” for the Labony Estate Puja is innovative, yet topical. Although secretary Sumit Sarkar insists that it’s strictly apolitical, but Labony (in its 37th year) is recreating the four Vedas to trace ‘Woman Power’. Sarkar informs: “In the ancient era, women used to be emancipated and were reduced to slaves after the Manu-Samhita age. Our pandal will reflect the various stages of the society, culminating in the present when the woman gets back her freedom and rises to the decision-making level.” A recital by Ayaan Ali Khan will add zing to the Labony puja this year.
    CKCL Block — celebrating its silver jubilee — is erecting a pandal out of steel wires. Says secretary Dibyendu Banerjee: “The pandal is an abstract temple. The mandap has been christened ‘Pragati’ or progress. Steel represents development.” Another silver jubilee Puja, IB Block Welfare Association, plays around ethnicity, woven out of eco-friendly products like jute and bamboo. “Our pandal blends ritual, culture and tradition,” says secretary Partha Mitra.
    Finally, the fattest budget so far is attributed to FD Block Sarbojonin: Rs 20 lakh. The concept: Shaktipeeth. The idol: 14.3-m high. The pandal: a mountain with 12 Shiva Jyotirlingas placed on different spots. The showstopper: a Nataraj statue to the left .

(Clockwise from above) Decorations for the Labony Estate puja; the HB Block puja is depicting ‘Akal Bodhon’; the 14.3-m high FD Block pandal; the IB Block pandal decorations

Salt Lake tax to be levied after May 13

Suman Chakraborti TNN 

Kolkata: Residents of Salt Lake had better brace to pay property tax right after the assembly election results are declared on May 13. The Trinamool-run Bidhannagar Municipality is waiting for declaration of the election results before it starts sending tax bills to residents of the township. 

Neither municipality chairperson Anita Mondal nor vice-chairman and Trinamool candidate from Rajarhat-New Town assembly constituency, Sabyasachi Dutta, would speak on the issue now, preferring to reserve their comments till May 13. 

The civic authorities had, earlier, said they had come up with a new property tax structure in accordance with the Bengal Municipal Act, 1977. It had also been decided earlier to collect property tax with effect from April 1, 2010. The Trinamool-led civic board is expecting the party to form the next state government, which would make it easier for them to get the tax structure approved. 

Trinamool sources said the civic authorities will start sending tax bills once party chief Mamata Banerjee approves the tax structure after the election results are declared. Civic authorities plan to discuss the issue with Bidhannagar Welfare Association and other stake holders before the new structure is finally announced. 
Under this tax structure, owners of residential houses will receive quarterly tax bills ranging from Rs 70 to Rs 120. If the civic body collects taxes based on the new structure, it will earn about Rs 1 crore each quarter. 

Civic officials, however, said they would lose about Rs 6 crore a year if they collected taxes following this structure, which prevailed in 1977. But, at least, residents would be happy to pay a lower tax, they said. The civic authorities reduced their spending earlier by not using cars and mobile phones they are entitled to. “We have been trying to earn revenue from sources like amusement tax and parking fees,” said an official. 

The property tax dispute in Salt Lake has been raging since May 2007 when the earlier tax structure framed by the previous Left Front-led civic board was scrapped by the Supreme Court following complaints from the Bidhannagar Welfare Association. Since then, tax collection has been stopped in Salt Lake.

FROM THE CORE OF THE HEART

Nabadiganta’s chief SA Ahmed is going whole hog to step up the infrastructure at Sector V

In 2006, West Bengal government had segregated Salt Lake Sector V from Bidhannagar Municipality and had formed Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) for better management of infrastructure and other related activities there. The government has formed a 14-member committee which comprises representatives of the state IT department, KMDA, urban development and IT companies for running NDITA. In a freewheeling interview with ET’s Sutanuka Ghosal NDITA chairman SA Ahmed unveils the initiatives that the authority plans to undertake to improve the quality of infrastructure at Sector V. Excerpts:
How many units are now working at Salt Lake Sector V?
There are 603 units working at Salt Lake Sector V, which are spread over an area of 432 acres. Of these 603 units, 250 are IT facilities, both big and small. There are manufacturing units embracing Videocon, Areva and Godrej at Sector V as well. These 603 units also include schools, colleges and healthcare facilities that have come up in the area. Sector V has generated 70,000 direct jobs and an additional 30,000 indirect jobs over the years.
What is the role of NDITA in improving the infrastructure of Sector V?
    NDITA’s role is to provide modern infrastructure at the Sector V which includes roads, bridges, a water supply network, developing underground sewer lines and a drainage system. We have opted for a public-private partnership model for developing infrastructure at Sector V. Along with this, we are also involved in the traffic movement in the area. Apart from our usual exercise of maintaining infrastructure at Sector V, we are also responsible for collecting taxes, renewing trade licences and assessing property taxes.
IT companies, time-and-again, have complained about the poor internal infrastructure and water supply linkages at Sector V. What steps are you taking to address these twin issues?
    We are adopting a multi-pronged approach to address these issues. One should always remember that Sector V was set up initially for SSI units. No one had ever thought that it would turn out to be the IT hub of West Bengal. Therefore, the internal infrastructure, particularly roads, are not so broad as one can find in places like Bangalore or Hyderabad. To ease traffic movement in the area, we have come up with a new flyover near the Wipro building. Two new bridges have come up to help easy movement of cars from Kolkata to the airport and from Salt Lake to other parts of Kolkata. We are also in the process of appointing a consultant to suggest ways of managing the internal traffic, which is constantly increasing. We are also planning to introduce a one-way traffic system within the Sector V area to ease the movement of cars. We know that laying of water supply lines by Jusco, a Tata Group company, has compounded the road problem in Sector V. Jusco is slated to complete their work within March 31, 2010 and we are hopeful that traffic movement will become smoother after that. You will be surprised to know that some 8,000 vehicles ply in Sector V everyday, which include cars hired by IT companies like TCS, Wipro, IBM and others. If there are further problems, we are always open to the idea of discussing with the IT companies to sort them out.
Waterlogging and illegal parking are two major problems faced by the companies working at Sector V. How do you plan to curb these problems?
    Till last year, waterlogging had remained a problem. But not any more. We have taken adequate measures to prevent waterlogging at Sector V. From 2010, there will be no waterlogging at Salt Lake. Illegal parking is another problem area, where we are taking tough measures. If we find any cars parked illegally, we will tow away the car immediately. We have urged the Sector V units to create more parking space within their office premises, so that employees can park their vehicles there. We have come up with five parking lots in Sector V which can accommodate some 1,800-2,000 cars.
Barring a few big retail food chains, Sector V lacks good eateries that can provide quality food at affordable prices. Are you taking any initiative to address this?
    Unauthorised eateries have mushroomed in the sector along the roadside. We have decided to replace them with food kiosks which will provide affordable and quality food. We have allocated some 92 food kiosks in the area. KMDA is also planning to come up with a food park, where small eateries will come up.
Security at Sector V is probably a matter of concern to you as it also employs a large number of women. How are you addressing this issue?
    Unlike Bangalore, Sector V has not witnessed any major security problem. We are taking adequate steps to address this crucial issue. We have asked the IT companies to step up security arrangements at their premises. From our end, we have posted two patrolling vehicles, which move around Sector V on a 24x7 basis. Moreover, we have put up a surveillance system at NDITA, which is connected with the Bidhannagar (east) police station, so that we can keep a constant watch to avoid any untoward incident

Sec V won’t be flooded this year

Techies may no longer have to wade through knee-deep water in the coming monsoon. “Sector V will not be inundated this time,” Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NITA) chairman S A Ahmed told TOI. “Work on the damaged roads and sewerlines will be completed by July,” he added. NITA is the authority responsible for Sector V.
Drain water from Sector V drains into Bagjola canal. With drain water from New Town also being channelised through the canal, it invariably overflows during the monsoon as it is illequipped to flush out water from both sides.
Companies at Sector V, also called Nabadiganta Township now, said they would wait to see what happens when it actually starts pouring in June-July. “As we are the worst sufferers whenever it rains, we are keeping our fingers crossed on this. However, the NITA initiative is a welcome development,” Wipro senior manager (administration and facilities) Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya said.
Incidentally, state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya has also said in the recent past that improving drainage and sewerage systems of Sector V would be accorded top priority. Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority has been asked to prepare a master plan in this regard.
“Beautification of Sector V will be completed in 18 months,” Ahmed said. NITA has signed agreements with Encon and Selvel for improving the IT hub.
Ahmed said easing traffic in Sector V would also be given importance. “Work on building a flyover in front of Wipro and J K Saha junction is in progress. Also, two bridges are expected to come up near Kestopur canal by mid-2009,” he added.

Sobia Khan | TNN