The Asansol Development Planning Area (ADPA) is the
stage that has been set for the unfolding saga of India’s first Greenfield
private airport and the aerotropolis complementing it.
However, if one is curious about why this area, and
no other, was chosen as the backdrop for this tale of a Biswa Bangla, or Global Bengal, the reasons are many.
Sujalaam Skycity, which wants to give a fillip to the
industrial and economic development of the state, is coming up in a region
where mining and wholesale trade and commerce dominate the economic activity.
The major impetus to the region’s economic growth has been given by easily
available and cost-effective power, abundant raw material, cheap and skilled
labour, adequate water supply and strong connectivity with Kolkata, North
Bengal, the neighbouring states and the Northeast.
The traditional industrial base of Sujalaam’s
catchment area is primarily supported by coal from the mines of Raniganj, iron
and steel, which has led to rapid diversification and new industrial ventures,
including heavy engineering, cement, fertilizers and coal-based chemicals.
Retail activities in the ADPA is concentrated around
the GT Road. What’s more, a plan to set up markets at alternative sites is
already on the anvil. The markets will be backed by modern logistics centres
and have adequate warehousing facilities, truck terminals and marketing centers
among other provisions.
The catchment area is also sufficiently equipped to
support a proposed Food Park, the first of its kind in the region, in the
Skycity. Rice is the most important crop of the district and paddy covers most
of the gross cropped area. Among commercial crops, potato, jute, mesta,
sugarcane and oil seeds are cultivated in marginal area.
Although pisciculture, or fish farming, was hitherto
not significantly developed in the region, a small lake within the Skycity has
been built with the express purpose to give a consequential push to this
sector. The lake is also intended to beautify the surroundings within which it
exists.
The entire district of Burdwan is known for finely
crafted iron, brass and bell-metal utensils. Among other small industries
flourishing in this area include cutlery, cart-making, clay statuettes and
dolls, dairy, crafts in gold and silver and manufacturing of lime, mats,
pottery, sweets, tiles, leatherwork, woodwork, wrought iron and steel objects,
cane and bamboo products, jaggery and works out of stones.
What’s more, Durgapur is already famous for its array
of medical and educational institutes.
The famous educational institutions in this region
include the National Institute Of Technology (NIT), Regional Engineering
College, National Power Training Institute (NPTI), Bengal College of
Engineering and Technology, BC Roy Engineering College, Durgapur Government
College, Durgapur Women's College, Michael Madhusudan Memorial College, DAV
Model School, Hemsheela Model School, St. Xavier's School and Carmel School.
Among its state-of-the-art healthcare institutions
are the Mission Hospital, DSP Main Hospital, Vivekananda Hospital, ESI
Hospital, Disha Eye Care, IQ City Medical College and IQ City
NarayanaHrudayalaya Hospital.
Clearly, the Skycity has chosen as its backdrop a
region, where holistic development and the pursuit of excellence have long been
indispensable parts of life. Where else could the future of Bengal have taken
shape?
