Top Projects - West Bengal

01 Aug 2013 Editorial Team

Power

The draft of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan by the state government had forecasted a demand of 7,649 MW in 2012-13. However, now the state has witnessed surplus power for the first time with the excess of 10 per cent. Experts suggest that with the rise in production of hydel power projects during the monsoons, the surplus power may increase to 15-20 per cent in the next few months. The West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, formed in 1993, has boosted the power segment in the state by implementing various solar, wind and hydel projects on a large scale. Companies such as DPSC in partnership with India Power Corporation Ltd (IPCL) are currently setting up two thermal power projects: a 540-MW project in Raghunathpur and another 450-MW plant at Haldia.

Infrastructure

Roadways: West Bengal has 19 National highways and the NHAI has also undertaken the mega Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) project which will pass through major districts in the northern part of the state. Apart from this, various road projects have been carried out under the PPP mode such as the Barasat-Krishnanagar section, Farakka-Raiganj section of NH-3, Palsit-Dankuni road project etc.

Railways: The railway network is well connected throughout the state; the major stations include Howrah, Asansol, Sealdah, Bandel, Bardhaman, Kharagpur and New Jalpaiguri. The Indian railways are in the process of establishing an electric locomotive assembly and ancillary unit at Dankuni, West Bengal.

Airports: The state has an international airport along with two domestic airports. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is located near Kolkata while the domestic ones are situated at Siliguri and Behala. The international airport is expanding and this will include construction of a new terminal and extension of a runway. Also, the Bengal Aerotropolis Projects is in the process of constructing India's fist batch of aero cities near the Durgapur-Asansol region.

Ports: The state has two ports. Kolkata, the major port, was commissioned by the British East India Company in 1870 and is one of the oldest operating ports in India and Haldia, the minor port, was developed with the purpose of handling Kolkata's bulk cargoes. Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has recently set a target for development of key infrastructure projects, including airports, ports, roads and power generation in the current financial year. This includes construction of a new PPP port at Sagar in West Bengal.

Real estate

Kolkata is a unique metropolis which has a lower cost of operating business as compared to other metropolis. It is rapidly gaining attention and attracting new investments from all sectors. Even IT parks dominate the scene with about 16 IT/ITeS based SEZs in the state. Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group asserts, "There is great potential for real-estate sector in the state. The entire cluster of Asansol, Burdawan and Durgapur, which serves the coal belt and the steel industry in the vicinity, looks promising. Besides there is the entire northern region which is relatively less explored than the rest of the country." The Kolkata-based company has undertaken projects such as Udayan, the Condoville in West Bengal and their upcoming projects include two luxury boutique resorts in Makaibari and Ghoom in North Bengal.

Situated in eastern India, West Bengal has always kept a low profile as compared to the other states pan India. With Kolkata as its capital and a geographical area of 88,752 sq km, the state is flanked by states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim and Assam. The state includes cities such as Kolkata, Siliguri, Asansol, Durgapur, Raniganj, Kharagpur, Haldia, Darjeeling, Malda, Midnapore, Cooch Behar and Howrah. The average Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth rate of West Bengal is 14.6 per cent. CW focuses on the state's growth and standing, in terms of power, infrastructure and real estate. Power The draft of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan by the state government had forecasted a demand of 7,649 MW in 2012-13. However, now the state has witnessed surplus power for the first time with the excess of 10 per cent. Experts suggest that with the rise in production of hydel power projects during the monsoons, the surplus power may increase to 15-20 per cent in the next few months. The West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, formed in 1993, has boosted the power segment in the state by implementing various solar, wind and hydel projects on a large scale. Companies such as DPSC in partnership with India Power Corporation Ltd (IPCL) are currently setting up two thermal power projects: a 540-MW project in Raghunathpur and another 450-MW plant at Haldia. Infrastructure Roadways: West Bengal has 19 National highways and the NHAI has also undertaken the mega Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) project which will pass through major districts in the northern part of the state. Apart from this, various road projects have been carried out under the PPP mode such as the Barasat-Krishnanagar section, Farakka-Raiganj section of NH-3, Palsit-Dankuni road project etc. Railways: The railway network is well connected throughout the state; the major stations include Howrah, Asansol, Sealdah, Bandel, Bardhaman, Kharagpur and New Jalpaiguri. The Indian railways are in the process of establishing an electric locomotive assembly and ancillary unit at Dankuni, West Bengal. Airports: The state has an international airport along with two domestic airports. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is located near Kolkata while the domestic ones are situated at Siliguri and Behala. The international airport is expanding and this will include construction of a new terminal and extension of a runway. Also, the Bengal Aerotropolis Projects is in the process of constructing India's fist batch of aero cities near the Durgapur-Asansol region. Ports: The state has two ports. Kolkata, the major port, was commissioned by the British East India Company in 1870 and is one of the oldest operating ports in India and Haldia, the minor port, was developed with the purpose of handling Kolkata's bulk cargoes. Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has recently set a target for development of key infrastructure projects, including airports, ports, roads and power generation in the current financial year. This includes construction of a new PPP port at Sagar in West Bengal. Real estate Kolkata is a unique metropolis which has a lower cost of operating business as compared to other metropolis. It is rapidly gaining attention and attracting new investments from all sectors. Even IT parks dominate the scene with about 16 IT/ITeS based SEZs in the state. Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group asserts, "There is great potential for real-estate sector in the state. The entire cluster of Asansol, Burdawan and Durgapur, which serves the coal belt and the steel industry in the vicinity, looks promising. Besides there is the entire northern region which is relatively less explored than the rest of the country." The Kolkata-based company has undertaken projects such as Udayan, the Condoville in West Bengal and their upcoming projects include two luxury boutique resorts in Makaibari and Ghoom in North Bengal.