BCC Organised "Leveraging Public Infrastructure Growth For A Resilient Bengal"

News Desk, News Nation 360: West Bengal needs an integrated infrastructure to attract industrial investment and ensure economic resilience. Bharat Chamber suggested connecting important industrial nodes such as Falta, Haldia, Asansol, and Siliguri with airports and riverine ports to decongest heavy freight traffic. They also proposed an integrated road and bridge perspective plan with a long-term vision up to 2047, in addition to modernised ferry services, lifecycle maintenance contracts, and digital monitoring systems. Dr Ajay Kumar Poddar stated that the government is in constant coordination with the central authorities under Nitin Gadkari to fulfil their vision. A highway project linking the tea gardens of Darjeeling to Gangasagar has been approved. Plans include developing a Siliguri ring road as well as inner and outer ring roads for Kolkata with a budgetary estimate of thirty-five to forty thousand crore rupees. The corridor under the Banaras to Kolkata project will have six underwater tunnels to cross the Hooghly River to avoid traffic snarls. The Union ministry has also agreed to take over state highways to rebrand them as national highways. Replacement bridges in Birbhum are also in the pipeline under a partnership model with IIT Roorkee to design modern bridges. The Public Health Engineering Department is working towards bulk water supply to municipalities and direct tapping of water from village households. Modernisation of water transport is also on the anvil with eighty ferry ghats, new river fronts, and indigenous small boat manufacturing. Dr Poddar said that the current government has changed the narrative of fear in favour of trust in West Bengal. The administration has also taken up several institutional reforms such as university transfer policies. He stressed the need for public participation in industrial development and emphasised women's empowerment through political reservation and universal health coverage. Poddar concluded by saying that India is taking off globally and urged concerted efforts between industries and the government to rebuild Sonar Bangla.

Pic: Krishnendu Kundu