Plans to improve urban infrastructure in Bengal

Kolkata: The urban development ministry of West Bengal has prepared an approach document for the 11th Five Year Plan Period with the objective of strengthening urban infrastructure in the state.

The thrust of the approach document will be on developing housing facilities for the poor living in urban areas and also on the growth of tier-II and tier-III cities like Asansol, Durgapur, Siliguri and Kharagpur, Asok Bhattacharya, the state minister for urban development and urban affairs said at a conference on 'Urban Infrastructure in West Bengal: Challenges and the Way Forward', organised by Ficci in association with the Kolkata Municipal Development Authority (KMDA).

The minister pointed out that the urban population in West Bengal is set to reach around 27 million by 2011, up from 22.43 million (according to 2001 Census). He also said that implementation of the traffic and transportation master plan in Kolkata would need an investment of Rs 22,000 crore by 2025.

Under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) Plan, 13 projects in Kolkata across various sectors like water supply, sewarage, drainage and roads, involving a total outlay of Rs 1,050 crore has been approved by the Centre.

For Asansol, five projects worth Rs 210 crore have been approved and are under implementation.

Talking on the risks associated with the infrastructure projects under the PPP (public-private partnership) model, Samiran Sen, director of Bengal CES Infratech Limited said, The infrastructure projects taken up under the PPP model have to grapple with a host of problems like high upfront cost, exhaustive funding outlay, long gestation period and the risks and uncertainties for the various stakeholders.

'The attractiveness of a PPP project depends on the risk perception of the private sector. Risks may be mitigated using available technological, human and organisational resources', Sen added.