Kolkata going green - Lal Dighi, the CBD, to be vehicle free on weekends

It has been announced by Chief minister Mamata Banerjee that the Lal Dighi or CBD of Kolkata will be declared as a vehicle free zone on weekends and dedicated to walkers. Lal Dighi is the heart of the city Kolkata and Mamata Banerjee wants people to "roam around freely, have food and enjoy cultural programs" in the area.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 26 December 2015.

Lal Dighi is surrounded by heritage structures, like Writers' Buildings, GPO and Currency Building, Fairlie Place, Dead Letters Office. Previously known as Dalhousie Square, Lal Dighi is one of the finest precincts of colonial heritage structures and is the nerve-center of city's central business district (CBD).
Incidentally, the Burdwan administration has taken the lead over Kolkata in making one day of the week vehicle-free. The CM has explained that in Lal Dighi (Dalhousie Square), offices are closed on Saturdays after 5pm and no vehicle will ply till 10pm on Sunday. She had already mooted the proposal to the Kolkata Police commissioner and mayor to implement the new rule early next year.
Around 15-20,000 vehicles from Howrah station and Burrabazar pass through Lal Dighi on Saturdays and Sundays en-route towards south and central Kolkata.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Kolkata is dying - Lal Dighi aka BBD Bag in shambles but, Mayor does not know

Lal Dighi is an identity of Kolkata. Earlier known as Dalhousie Square, it became BBD Bag and it is situated in the posh area of the Secretariat of West Bengal, it is in shambles after the Secretariat known as Writer’s Building. It was shifted to its new location and given a new name of Nabanna. But, Mayor Sovan Chatterjee apparently does not know about this!!
Beautification of this landmark heritage had been a pet project of chief minister Mamata Banerjee – but, it is now in shambles because it has gone out of her sight. In fact, the upgrade project has fallen apart because of shoddy workmanship and poor upkeep.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 26 August 2015.

It seems contractors who were engaged by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are flouting the basic norms that are necessary to restore a waterbody.
An example is the pathway that goes all around the square tank – its reinforcement should have been done by using logs of Shaal trees and placing them side by side along the edge of the waterbody with no gap in between. But, the contractor has used low-cost Eucalyptus logs that have begun to rot and disintegrate within six months.
Moreover, the logs have been planted one foot or more apart, instead of edge-to-edge, to use fewer logs. As a result, constant exposure to water is eroding the bank.
It had been the intention of Mamata Banerjee that the area be used by morning and evening walkers. And, for those who work in BBD Bag, it was meant to be an area for exercise and relaxation, either during lunch hours or after work hours. Unfortunately, it has become a nightmare due to lack of maintenance and so slippery that even the guards posted there have to tread gingerly.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


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