Kolkata's Subhas Sarobar to get a makeover

The long-awaited project to develop the Subhas Sarobar in front of Swabhumi is finally taking shape. There will be amusement rides,water sports and speedboats on the 91.59-acre waterbody and a flavour of Kashmir’s Dal Lake as well, with visitors getting the option of spending time on a houseboat.The State tourism department has sought Rs 5.28 crore from the Centre for the project. This is the biggest lake renovation scheme since the Rs 7 crore makeover of Rabindra Sarobar, funds for which were sanctioned by the Union government in 2004. It has given environmentalists some reason to cheer in a city where waterbodies are under threat from unscrupulous land sharks, and even protected ponds are filled up to build highrises. Subhas Sarobar itself is in a miserable shape. Birds have long deserted this waterbody and people do not dare venture here for fear of being mugged. It is used as an open toilet, garbage dump and dhobi ghat all rolled into one.There is even traffic rushing through the Sarobar area, thanks to a twolane road connecting Narkeldanga Main Road with Beliaghata CIT Road. This is destroying the environment. The Tourism department plans to beautify the area by creating gardens, fountains, shelters and a jogger’s park with extensive plantation and picturesque landscaping. . Subhas Sarobar has a waterbody area of 41.61 acres and a leased land of 17.28 acres. The international swimming club and other sporting associations have 11.20 acres of water area. There will be an anglers’ deck, a tourist reception centre and an open air art performance centre. The tourism department drew up the blueprint in consultation with Kolkata Improvement Trust (KIT), which has the authority of Subhas Sarobar. The dolled-up lake will have water sports and adventure sports arenas as well. The initial grant of Rs 5.28 crore from the central government will, however, be spent to upgrade the infrastructure at the sarobar, sources say. The land around the sarobar is used as a parking lot by all and sundry. But the state wants to keep vehicles off the ecologically sensitive area. A parking lot with space for 200 vehicles will be built outside the boundary of the lake.