The Hindu Business Line : Hi-tech systems to clear Kolkata traffic logjam

ADMITTING that the city's transport bottlenecks, especially during peak hours, has severely affected the quality of lifein Kolkata, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said here on Thursday that the Government was examining two hi-tech traffic management systems, one each being offered by a Swiss company headquartered in Hong Kong and Itochu of Japan.

Addressing captains of industry at the opening session of FICCI's National Executive Committee meeting, he said the State government was fully committed to cleaning up the transport mess. We need to take a radical view to completely change the existing system if the transport bottlenecks have to be eliminated, he said. He also sought private sector participation in urban area management projects.

On the facilities that are coming up for smooth flow of city traffic, he said two more flyovers would be ready by end-March and another 14 new ones would be constructed.

The Chief Minister informed that the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) has already sanctioned a feasibility study for the East-West Metro Rail corridor, which will complement the North-South Metro axis that already exists.

Pointing out that the State Government was already going ahead with the improvement work on National Highway 34, between Kolkata and North Bengal, with Asian Development Bank assistance, Mr Bhattacharjee said the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) may finance the Raichak-Kukrahati bridge project.

The Minister said his Government was now directing special efforts towards strengthening the infrastructure sector by encouraging public-private partnership (PPP). It is learnt that the State Government has already identified places such as Haldia, Kharagpur, Asansol-Durgapur, Siliguri-Jalpaiguri, Kalyani and Uluberia as areas for industrial growth in terms of availability of infrastructure, communication and connectivity.

Reeling off the plus points of the State justifying further investments, Mr Bhattacharjee said the Toy Park would be opened on February 14, 2004. Stating that the park was ideally suited for import-export of raw materials and finished goods, he said it was being developed as a facility for both domestic and foreign companies manufacturing toys, sports goods, handicrafts and gift items. He said the Government was also keen to attract investments from Chinese toymakers, who make world-class toys.

Pointing out that the State, for the last four years, has been able to maintain average annual investment of over Rs 2,000 crore, he said steady advances are being made in sectors such as iron and steel, chemicals and plastics, IT, agri-business, cement, leather, gems and jewellery. Between 1991 and 2003, 162 iron and steel units were set up with a capital investment of around Rs 6,948 crore, he added.

"On the IT front, our vision is to rank among the top three destinations of the country and to have a share of 15-20 per cent of IT revenues by 2010."

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Hi-tech systems to clear Kolkata traffic logjam