Tata Centre

One of the most-clicked modern ‘office building’ in the city must be the Tata Centre near Birla Planetarium. I can think of at least 3 reasons for the discretion.

Built in 1963, the Tata Centre is perhaps the oldest skyscraper of its type in the city. It is an important landmark and is located at a very attractive place facing the vast expanse of the Maidan. Also, JL Nehru Road (previously, and still referred to as Chowringhee Road) on which the building stands is one of the busiest thoroughfares and the main connector between the city’s south and its central part.

When the Indian Independence completed 50 years, the Tata Centre was decorated in tricolors for almost a year, looking splendid. It houses nearly all of Tata Group’s city operations except perhaps TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), which has separate building in Salt Lake.

A vantage position for the building means it has been the witness to many historical happenings of the rough and tumble of Bengal politics, the latest ones being series of protests by opposition party over Tata Motors’ upcoming plant at Singur.

The good thing is the building has been able to retain its majestic façade unlike the other skyscraper close by, the Chatterjee International Centre, though oldtimers argue that it no longer has that luster that used to make people from hinterland stare agape at it while visiting the Maidan.

This may be for the reason that many more skyscrapers now dot the city and many more are in the offing. But despite all that Tata Centre continues to be one among the major landmarks of Kolkata, and a pleasure to be clicked at by eager shutterbugs.