The rapid development of Kolkata

The rapid development of the rapidly rising Kolkata

The Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

Kolkata, the city of joy, the seemingly infinite extent across the twin horizons of pure bliss and the very seat and heart of Indian culture! Who can ignore her charm, her culture, her progress? Even through years and years of lagging behind, Kolkata somehow kept its pace, and has finally joined the club of cosmopolitan cities. Finally we've seen the beginning of a new, rising Kolkata.

Founded by the British initially as a seat of their power and influence over the local trading posts, Kolkata or Calcutta (as it was called then) had always enjoyed a special place in the hearts and minds of thousands and millions of Indian citizens. The capital of British India, Kolkata saw tremendous development in its early years, when the rest of India was still in the dark. Home to five Noble laureates of India, and many other notable dignitaries, it was rightly called the cultural capital of India, the jewel of India. People like Bankinchandra Chatterjee, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose, Jagadishchandra Bose and Mother Teresa called Kolkata home. And even today, the vibrance of the city lives on, its culture outshining the rest of Bengal and India.

The Botanic Gardens of Howrah

Kolkata is one of the greatest cities of modern India. Although it hugely lagged behind cities like Mumbai and Bangalore even a couple of years back, it has finally picked its own momentum and is rapidly advancing into the future. In many ways, Kolkata enjoys a special place in India, and in several ways it is the #1 city in India. Here are some examples:

1. Kolkata is home to the University of Calcutta, the first University of Asia and one of the most effective ones in today's India.

2. The Kolkata Metro Railway is the first metro railway of South Asia, which started decades before other cities such as Delhi and Chennai got theirs running.

3. The Kolkata Book Fair is the largest of its kind in entire Asia.

4. The Salt Lake Stadium (Yubabharati Krirangan) is the second largest stadium in the world, and the largest in Asia.

5. The Birla Planetarium of Kolkata is the largest planetarium in Asia, and the second largest in the world.

The rapidly rising buildings around Calcutta grounds

6. The Botanic Garden of Howrah is the largest of its kind in Asia, and the second largest in the world.

7. The Calcutta underground sewage facility was the most elaborately planned one after London, in the world.


Kolkata has thus always been a special city, with a special status. Decades of Communism and its faulty polices had definitely ruined its prospects, but under the new government (especially worthy of praise if the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority) and a new regime, it is not only competing with other cities of South Asia but also leaving them behind in many ways. Except in Bangalore, you can't find any equivalent of the Sector V of Salt Lake (Eastern Calcutta) anywhere in India. New Delhi, Chennai and even Mumbai lag behind Kolkata so far as software development is concerned.

Rapidly rising urban Calcutta

A number of projects have been undertaken by the KMDA and the new Trinamool government, which are showing some result finally. The Riverfront development project, initiated under the leadership of Shri Shobhan Chatterjee, Hon'ble Mayor (Calcutta), is actively working to restore the status of Hoogly (Ganges) to that of a pure, clean and scenic river. This project has four primary aims, namely:

1. To develop the aesthetic beauty of the place, on twin sides of Ganges.

2. Better river-transport to reduce the degree of congestion in the city.

3. Attracting tourists from outside.

4. Attracting thousands of people from neighbouring villages to perform their respective rites of 'Ganga Darshan', or taking a glimpse of the sacred river.

The Metro Railway of Calcutta, the oldest of its kind in South Asia, is rapidly advancing with additional development projects. Previously, because of its low-fare policy, it was a sort of burden on the shoulders of the Indian Railways. But now, by proper public-private sector initiatives and proper utilization of advertising space, the Calcutta Metro is showing rapid signs of progress. The East-West Metro project, aimed to link Sector V of Salt Lake in the east to Howrah station in the west, is nearly completed. Rapid expansions beyond the twin terminal stations of the North-South Metro, Dumdum and Kavi Subhash, have been undertaken. Very soon, Dumdum station will cease to be the terminal stat
ion, and the system will be expanded to include Noarapa station.

Vidyasagar Setu or the Second Hoogly Bridge,
the third largest of its kind of bridges in the world

The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport has similarly undertaken multiple initiatives and projects of expansion. By the end of this yeah, this is going to be the largest airport of South Asia. New technologies have been implemented, such as the construction of an all-new terminal, the verses of Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali embedded on the shades of the terminals etc. New types of specially designed glass are being used for the first time in India, to turn the Dumdum airport into one that is comparable to London and New York airports. New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and other cities are the ones that are now lagging behind in terms of rapid urbanization.

The Kolkata water drainage and sewage system is also undergoing massive improvements. The new 'Water for everyone' project initiated by the KMDA and the tech-savvy side of the Kolkata Corporation has finally started to develop the age-old system in the city. Roads are being developed everywhere, and new 'Trifala Alo' or 'Trident lights' are being used to 'light up' the northern half of the city. Expanding in all four directions, Kolkata is gradually turning into a true equivalent of London.

The Calcutta Metro

There are problems that continue to haunt Calcuttans, but many of them previous ones have already been solved. And as time rolls on, we're witnessing a rapid growth in the city. Sadly, the rest of Bengal including its industrial belt of Durgapore-Assansole, other notable townships such as Burdwan and Behrampur continue to lag behind still, and the entire responsibility of 'representing' the true image of West Bengal has once again fallen on the shoulders of Kolkata. But with her mighty shoulders, the city of joy can certainly take up the load. It may not be anywhere near London as of now, but there's no doubt that the gap between the two cities is being bridged up, thanks to the efforts of all Calcuttans combined.

My dear fellow residents of this great city, the time has finally come to take part in this great ceremony, this mighty 'Karma Yajna' of building a great city, worthy to be counted among the likes of London and New York. Time is short, and we've a lot of work to do. But I do believe, that together, WE CAN DO IT! And till that actually happens, let us continue to contribute to this great development.

Proud to be a Calcuttan, I urge you all to feel proud alike.