1999-2006 : Planning of New Town and land acquisition
The New Town Planning Area was declared in 1999, constituting the erstwhile Bhangore Rajarhat
Development Authority, comprising 45 Mouzas under the North and South 24 Parganas. Thereafter, a
series of studies were made and reports from experts including environment clearance on the
Environment Impact Assessment were obtained. With the objective of developing an eco‐friendly green
dotted city, New Town was designed to be developed in different phases. The entire area of New Town
was divided into Action Areas I, II, and III and a central business district (CBD).Besides, a total
area of around 135 hectares was earmarked for setting up Water Treatment Plant and Garbage Disposal
Centre for the township.
The New Town Project was designed to be self-sustaining project with cross subsidy from Higher
Income Group (HIG) to Lower Income Group (LIG) / Economically Weaker Section.The process of
incremental development was adopted in phases. The initial investment for land procurement and
development of basic infrastructure like land filling etc. were started by obtaining advances from
financial institutions. During the process of land procurement earmarking of the saleable plots are
made.
2007-2010 : Formation of NKDA and more development in the township
Taking the township development a step ahead, the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) was
formed in 2007 as per the New Town, Kolkata, Development Authority Act, 2007, to initiate civic
services for the green-field city.
This period witnessed the completion of a plethora of infrastructural facilities in Action Area I,
along with infrastructural work in progress for the other Action Areas, to gradually achieve the
required land development in the area and make it conducive to urban habitation.
2011-2016: New Town becomes a self-sustaining city with revenue generating assets
The phase is one of the milestones in the history of New Town Kolkata, when under the guidance of
Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Smt. Mamata Banerjee, the township takes a new shape with
creation of multiple revenue generating assets that make New Town a self-sustaining city.
Eco Park (Prakriti Tirtha) - With the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision of
sustainable development and eco-tourism, a 480 acre land in New Town, around a water body was
declared to be converted into an ecological garden – the first of its kind in the eastern part of
India. Accordingly, WBHIDCO initiated the process to realize this vision. This Eco Tourism Park was
inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, West Bengal Smt Mamata Banerjee on 29th December, 2012,
following which the park was declared open for public. On 27th December 2013, Hon'ble Chief Minister
of West Bengal inaugurated a conglomeration of new projects in Eco Park, New Town, which are – Biswa
Bangla Haat, Children's Eco Park, Floating Musical Fountain, Butterfly Garden, Play Area, Bamboo
Garden, Fruits Garden, Food Court, Adda Zone, Grass Land, Tea Garden, Mask Garden, Formal Garden
& Eco Island. Eco Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations, attracting visitors from
all around Kolkata and adjoining areas.
Rabindra Tirtha – Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Kabiguru
Rabindranath Tagore, WBHIDCO took the initiative to set up a cultural and research centre dedicated
to Tagore – Rabindra Tirtha – over a 4.89 acre area in the heart of New Town. The centre,
inaugurated on 7th August, 2012, by Hon’ble Chief Minister, West Bengal, Smt Mamata Banerjee, has
facilities including auditorium, art galleries, exhibition halls, mini cinema hall and music room.
There is also digital archive on life and works of Tagore, along with cottages and dormitories for
research residents.
Nazrul Tirtha – Another cultural and educational centre and vibrant community space
that came up in New Town during this period was Nazrul Tirtha, which was inaugurated on 24th May
2014 by Hon’ble Chief Minister, West Bengal, Smt Mamata Banerjee, marking the occasion of the 115th
birth anniversary of Bengal’s celebrated poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.The centre houses a well-organized
museum displaying the time and life of Kazi Nazrul Islam through rare photographs, personal items,
documents, paintings etc. Additionally, it has two art galleries for exhibitions in the ground and
first floor, four double-bed air-conditioned guest rooms for visitors to stay at Nazrul Tirtha, a
state-of-the-art open-air theatre for staging performing arts, as well as three movie auditoriums.
Mother’s Wax Museum – To make New Town distinguishably highlighted in the Tourist
Map of India, it has been conceived to establish a WAX MUSEUM in the city. Covering a sprawing 26000
sq.ft area spread across the 5th and 6th floor of the Finance Centre, the museum has wax statues of
more than 50 eminent personalities across the globe. The museum was unveiled in November 2014, and
since then it has remained a popular tourist attraction for New Town.
2017-Present: New Town becomes a Green Smart City
New Town embarks on its journey as a Smart City, under the Smart Cities Mission of the Government of
India during this phase, which adds another feather to the township’s cap of achievements. Thus, New
Town becomes a green smart city, with its commitment to creating state-of-the-art infrastructure,
amenities, and facilities, while enhancing the city’s ease-of-living quotient in a sustainable and
eco-friendly manner.
To that end, New Town came up with multiple innovative projects. It is during this period that New
Town gets its unique identity with the iconic Biswa Bangla Gate, which is now one of the most
spectacular spots in the township attracting visitors to its viewing gallery and ringed restaurant
atop the gate – one of the first of its kinds in eastern India.
On the infrastructural front, this phase witnessed New Town authorities’ untiring efforts towards
developing modern facilities of international standard such as the Biswa Bangala Convention Centre,
Snehodiya – a retirement haven for senior citizens, Smart Library – a world-class facility bridging
the traditional library with its technology-equipped online counterpart, solar powered as well as
cloud-connected, energy-saving street lighting systems, along with pedestrian friendly pathways,
graded cycle tracks promoting cycling, and introduction of electric buses and set up of multiple EV
charging stations throughout the city to promote green transport, and many more.
It is in this period that New Town has been recognized with the prestigious acclaims by the Indian
Green Building Council (IGBC) for being an exemplary township that underlines
environment-friendliness in every sphere of its operations and interventions, thus becoming a model
of excellence in urban sustainability. In 2018, the township was conferred with IGBC Green Building
– Gold Rating, while in 2020, the city was awarded with the even more esteemed Platinum rating. This
makes New Town one of the only 5 cities in the country to have received the highest honour.
New Town has several interventions ongoing, which are envisioned to turn the township into a model
smart city that focuses on enhancing its ease-of-living, through innovation, inclusion, and
sustainability.