Kolkata’s another first

If you keep aside the apparently suicidal trend to skirt industry to the state, Kolkata has many things ‘first’ to boast of.

I’m not saying the many developments during the Raj era that started in the city. In relatively modern times Kolkata has had the first underground metro in India.

To that somewhat worn-out feather will shortly add a fresh one…that of first under-river metro tunnel across river Hooghly joining Kolkata and Howrah.

Those are under the ground, not visible unless you enter the earth’s womb. What about the city’s skyline?

You’ll say, why, isn’t there the South City? Oh yeah, South City is big, bigger than many in Kolkata. But hopefully it will pale away compared to those in pipeline in the coming years.

It’ll not be a euphoric outburst to say that the city’s skyline will see some radical change in not-so-distant future. Let’s count some eggs that are likely to hatch.

The EM Bypass will host none less than 7 large hotels, among them are some renowned ones from across seven seas.

Moving to the north of the city, the Ideal Heights on APC Road will have 4, 19-24 storey highrises designed by Hafeez Contractor. And if you consider a swanky airport in the august list of buildings that define Kolkata’s skyline, expect the auspicious beginning of its making during puja.

However, the 250 meter office tower planned beside Tata Center will be the one to keep the city agape for a long time. Tell you what, this 54-storey edifice, though short of 60-storey Imperial Towers in Mumbai, will be the tallest in the country when complete.

The total height of 250m is equivalent to 83-storey structure, and who knows it may be a long while before this height is scaled by some other structure anywhere else in the country.

However, for all that matters, the year’s architectural marvel surely belongs to the rotating skyscraper planned in Dubai.

Here is the picture above of artist’s impression of the Kolkata tower taken from the TT. In the inset is what it may look like in the evening.

Below is a schematic that compares the planned tower in the city with the world biggies like the Burj Dubai, the Petronas twins, and the Sears Tower.