Mumbai, Nov. 9 -- The West Bengal government has signed nine memoranda of understanding with the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) for the redevelopment of Kolkata's College Street and riverfront areas along both banks of the Ganga. NBCC will serve as the Project Management Consultant for initiatives involving urban local bodies and state agencies.

The agreements were signed at Nagarayan, the headquarters of the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department. The first MoU covers the redevelopment of College Street and brings together the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, the department and NBCC.

Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul said the redevelopment would modernise College Street while retaining its identity as one of India's most distinctive book districts. The plan is intended to draw on international urban development practices while adapting them to local conditions rather than reproducing the design of any overseas city.

Another MoU concerns riverfront development in Chandannagar and involves the Chandannagar Municipal Corporation, NBCC and the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department. The broader riverfront programme is part of a wider urban improvement plan for Kolkata and surrounding areas.

The state has also presented the Prime Minister's Office with a broader transport and infrastructure vision. This includes a proposed metro connection from the Diamond Harbour side to Esplanade, running alongside the riverfront and highway. The plans also cover slum rehabilitation, organised hawker zones in Kolkata, Howrah and Salt Lake, and the transformation of Tangra's Chinatown.

Implementation will require coordination among several public agencies, including Kolkata Port authorities, the Railways, the Public Works Department and the Transport Department. The MoUs establish NBCC's project management role, while the participating agencies will remain involved in planning and delivering the individual redevelopment initiatives. The projects are intended to combine infrastructure upgrades with conservation of established commercial and cultural districts.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.