Kolkata: Kolkata is likely to soon see a giant Ferris wheel on the opposite bank of the Hooghly River, modelled on China’s ‘Star of Nanchang’, as the Syamaprasad Mookerjee Port Kolkata is planning to allot two plots in Howrah on a long-term lease aimed at riverfront development.
The port authorities have floated a tender wherein it seeks to invite bids for allotting two plots of land. The two plots measuring approximately 3.85 acres in total are located on Howrah’s Foreshore Road. The port seeks to lease out the land for 30 years.
It was learnt that the port wants the land to be used for commercial purposes through a riverfront development. Options that will be available for the one bagging the tender are recreational club, hotel & cafetaria, banquet, museum, movie theatre, building associated with art, music & culture, among other uses. For plot B, the user of the land has to mandatorily install a Ferris wheel of not less than 70 metre diameter size or permissible limit. Its specification should be of international standard, such as modelled on the Star of Nanchang in Jiangxi, China which is considered the world’s tallest wheel after the Singapore Flyer. The Nanchang wheel is even taller than the London Eye.
Meanwhile, in order to facilitate comprehensive riverfront development and ensure better utilisation of the plots, the lessee shall be permitted to develop access at their own cost for connecting the two plots over waterways like jetties, pontoons, floating decks, or embankment modifications, etc in order to improve and maintain connectivity between the land parcels. It has been clarified however that changing of bank line and encroachment into the river won’t be allowed.
A Kolkata Port official said recently a high-level meeting was organised focusing on land, assets and port-led industrialisation. It was chaired by the port chairperson Rathendra Raman and attended by RP Kondiram, Dy. DG of Shipping, apart from estate managers of all major ports in India. A roadmap was drawn up for using the land assets.