Health is wealth: Medical institutes find a home in the Skycity!

One of the fundamental requirements of a township, if it has to fulfil its potential, is to make sure that residents are provided with every kind of facility such as connectivity and logistics, education, healthcare, recreation, leisure, lifestyle etc. to make it a complete eco system.

And when the township aims to be the cradle of a resurgent Bengal, it has to be planned in such a way that the development of none of the above-mentioned facilities is left to chance or attended to with less stringency than it demands.

Sujalaam Skycity, which is the first of its kind in India — an aerotropolis that combines the finest living standards with effulgent industrial development — does, indeed, aim to write a new chapter in the history of Bengal. Therefore, it was imperative to make sure that its future citizens got access to a life that ensured holistic wellness, which began with top-notch medical care.

Sujalaam Skycity is coming up a stone’s throw away from City Center Durgapur, which is already renowned for excellent medical institutions such as The Mission Hospital, DSP Main Hospital, Vivekananda Hospital, ESI Hospital, Disha Eye Care, IQ City Medical College and IQ City Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital.

While surrounded by such a bevy of first-rate healthcare institutes, Sujalaam Skycity is creating a healthcare cluster, which will have a set of hospitals and medical facilities right within its own premises.

The Mission Hospital is coming up with a new chapter within the precincts of the aerotropolis. Dr. Satyajit Bose, renowned cardiac surgeon and the founder of The Mission Hospital, believes Sujalaam Skycity will play a big role in boosting healthcare industry in the region. “For me, the airport is the game changer. That’s why we decided to set up Mission Hospital in Sujalaam. The airport will help us connect better with patients and specialists and play a big role in promoting medical tourism in the area,” he said.

Moreover, Sujalaam will also have its own nursing training institute, which is now being set up by the Heritage Foundation.  – a more-than-300-bed multispecialty hospital spread over three acres.

While Sujalaam Skycity is gearing up to chart a history of developed, state-of-the-art, affluent Bengal, it hasn’t forgotten that true wealth, without a doubt, is health.

ADPA: What makes it the ideal spot for Sujalaam?

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?

Flight of development: Zoom Air connects Durgapur with Delhi

Sujalaam Skycity reaches for the skies and the future looks brighter than ever. Kazi Nazrul Islam (KNI) Airport has sprung back into action.

However, what makes it even more special is the fact that its reboot has coincided with the launch of the Nation’s 10^th full-service scheduled airline Zoom Air — an event that is sure to be registered as a bright chapter in India’s aviation history.

On February 12, 2017, Zoom Air, which is based out of Gurgaon and promoted by Zexus Air Services, launched its inaugural flight from Delhi. Its Bombardier CRJ-200LR series twin-engine jet aircraft, which was flagged off by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, flew out of the National Capital and landed at KNI Airport, an occasion that was cheered by everyone present at the venue as the aircraft taxied in through the traditional water-cannon salute.

Three days after this event, on February 15, the airline officially launched its regular services to and from the airport, connecting a trio of cities — Delhi-Kolkata-Durgapur.

Zoom Air is the most affordable premium full-service airline in the Nation at the moment. While it offers a 2x2 seating arrangement that offers considerably more legroom than most crammed layouts presented by the usual Boeings — and complimentary delicatessen meals to go with it — it does so at fares comparable with trains’.  

This latest development is consonant with objectives set for the aviation industry in the recent Regional Connectivity Scheme published by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. Aligning itself to the objectives, Zoom Air has planned to connect underserved and unserved airports, catering to tier II and III cities that most other airlines do not attend.

The airline is planning to ramp up its operations further from April this year, with more frequent flights and more destinations connecting Kolkata and Durgapur.

In its first phase of expansion, Zoom Air will connect to Aizawl, Aurangabad, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Dimapur, Durgapur, Hyderabad, Kullu, Jorhat, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ranchi, Mumbai, Srinagar and Shillong from New Delhi. The airline will also provide seamless connections to international flights from the third terminal (T3) of Delhi and the second (T2) of Mumbai.

Zoom Air is seriously considering KNI Airport as its regional hub in Eastern India. Among the many reasons for its doing so — barring the obvious benefits of superior infrastructure and planning — the airline cites advantages on landing and parking charges and zero tax on aviation fuel as some of the key benefits they have received at Sujalaam Skycity.

With the KNI Airport back in action, the people of Durgapur have a faster, easier and entirely affordable premium service to rely on to reach the national capital in less than two hours. This is a development that clearly marks the beginning of a pioneering phase of development in Bengal.

It’s time to fly: Zoom Air schedules and fare structure

Zoom Air, in spite of being a premium full-service airline, has a fare structure that rivals the railways’. Its timings also perfectly suit the needs of commuters flying to and out of Durgapur. Have a look at the charts below to know more:

Airfare Comparison Chart:

Rail Fare (in Rs)	Zoom Air Fare (in Rs)
Kolkata to Durgapur (Shatabdi Express, Executive Chair Car): 1025	Kolkata to Durgapur: Starting from 850
Durgapur to Delhi (Rajdhani Express, AC 2-tier): 2675	Durgapur to Delhi: Starting from 2850

Flight Schedule:

Delhi to Durgapur:

Flight	Departure	Arrival
ZO101	Delhi – 07:35	Kolkata – 09:35
ZO301	Kolkata – 10:05	Durgapur – 10:40

Durgapur to Delhi:

Flight	Departure	Arrival
ZO301	Durgapur – 11:10	Delhi – 13:10

The airline allows cabin baggage that fall within the stipulated dimensions of 34 cm in length, 10 cm in width and 20 cm in height.  It permits all passengers, both adults and children (2+ years), to carry 15 kilos of registered baggage individually.

During these very early days of its existence, India’s newest and 10^th full-service commuter airline hubs over New Delhi and Kolkata with Mumbai and Hyderabad in the offing, offering convenient daily connections between city pairs.

Nourishing Bengal’s Economy: The Food Park at Sujalaam Skycity

Since its inception, Sujalaam Skycity has gone from strength to strength.

The latest feather in its proverbial cap is a proposed food park within its precincts, which, when set up, will be one of its kind in the state, if not the country.

The food park in Sujalaam Skycity will offer a host of benefits unique to the aerotropolis.

To begin with, industrial land in the park will be available at 50% of the price that one would have to pay in and around Kolkata. Also, the park will be located only 182 kilometers away from Kolkata, which means a three-hour drive from the city, right on National Highway 2.

This gives the food park a great vantage point; since such a central location would effectively open up a market not only in the surrounding districts, but the Northeast and Bangladesh as well.

These advantages will be further bolstered by an abundance of raw material in this area. The region is renowned for copious production of rice, flour, potato, sugar, fruits and vegetables. Therefore, raw material can be easily and locally procured here, bringing down logistical cost.

Also, the areas in and around the Burdwan district are already renowned as food processing hubs.

The existing cluster of units will go a long way towards developing the food processing industry at the Food Park in Sujalaam Skycity. Such units encompass various sectors such as rice mills, edible oil extraction and packaging, cereals and pulses and bakery items and employ nearly 5,000 people. This large workforce will be instrumental in setting up the cornerstones of the food processing industry in the park.

The Food Park at Sujalaam will also be supported by a world-class infrastructure. It will be part of an international-standard integrated Greenfield township with an airport and set up in a non-polluting industrial zone. Social infrastructure such as medical institutions, retail hubs, the hospitality industry, ultra-modern office spaces and affordable housing for labour will support it.

The park will be supplied with 17 million litres of water per day and powered by round-the-clock electricity.

Remaining true to its vision of creating a resurgent Bengal in the coming years, Sujalaam Skycity will leave no stone unturned in creating a niche for itself in the food industry as well.

The backbone of development: Sujalaam develops robust infrastructure

Nobody can stand tall without a backbone and that applies as much to cities as it does to human beings. Sujalaam Skycity has always aimed to stand very, very tall in the India of tomorrow.
It is exemplified by the rigour with which its mother company, Bengal AerotropolisProjects Ltd, has undertaken infrastructure development within the project’s boundaries.
L&T, unquestionably a leader in their field, have undertaken much of the work and, thanks to superior knowhow, skill set and cutting-edge technology, has completed a huge chunk of it.
Among various aspects of the development, the necessity to build adequate road surface both within and out of the Skycity was deemed one of the most important tasks at hand. Around 25km of trunk roads and 15kms of neighborhood have been planned within the project area.
In the initial phase, construction of such roads will be limited to bituminous layer in two of four lanes, or development up to Wet Mix Macadam. The tentative length of such development is going to be about 14 and 9km, respectively.
The Skycity will also need adequate water once it starts running on all cylinders. Therefore, the approximate length of pipes of different diameter to be laid along the trunk and neighborhood roads for potable and recycled water is going to exceed 130km. The aerotropolis will receive water from the Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC), which will supply 4MGD during peak demand.
Pipes have already been laid up to the project battery and a pumping station will soon be commissioned. An overhead reservoir is also being constructed and a central reservoir will soon be built. The industrial and the institutional areas already have a steady supply of water from the Airport Network.
Sujalaam will have its own robust storm water drainage network, which will be around 60-km long. Around 30km of this network has already been completed. The trunk routes and neighbourhood areas would also call for a more than 30-km-long sewerage network, of which 14km is already under construction.
To charge up life and commerce at the futuristic township, massive electrical supply facilities would be imperative. Of the five 11kV substations that have been proposed, one has already been commissioned through India Power. Every facility that is up and running within the Skycity now get powered by this substation.
What’s more, a boundary wall is gradually replacing the Skycity’s erstwhile 6-km-long fence.
Also, 6 kilometer of cable has been laid up to the Airport Passenger Terminal Building. To highlight its importance, it would probably suffice to mention that the Reliance Jio service was launched here even before its experimental launch in the rest of the country! This service will be extended to other areas of the township, once subterranean infrastructure works are completed.
Sujalaam Skycity is rising higher and higher, because its backbone is getting stronger and stronger.

Sujalaam Skycity: Where knowledge soars!

How can a township that promises to herald in Bengal’s bright future be complete without a robust educational infrastructure?

Keeping in mind the fact that Sujalaam Skycity is aimed at becoming the perfect blend of life and work, it is but obvious that the aerotropolis will make sure its young residents are geared up for the bright and challenging future ahead.

Therefore, cutting-edge institutions in and around the Skycity will serve the dual purpose of both fuelling the industrial and commercial zones coming up within the township through a steady supply of bright and accomplished leaders and also set an example of first-rate education in the State.

Just to put things in perspective, it has to be mentioned that the township already has 17 engineering colleges, two deemed universities, 18 polytechnics and management institutes within its immediate and extended catchment area. These formidable institutions produce over 15,000 English-speaking graduates per annum, of whom around 80% are from technical streams.

A four-hour drive from the Skycity will take you to Kharagpur IIT, the world-famous seat of learning.  Visva-Bharati, one of the Nation’s largest Central Government-funded autonomous universities set up by none other than Rabindranath Tagore himself, neighbours the aerotropolis.

In Dhanbad, only 89 kilometers away, are the Indian School of Mines, Central Mining Research Institute and Central Fuel Research Institute.

Sujalaam’s Education Skycity, which will cater to about 15,000 students, will complement this array of mighty educational establishments.

Realising its potential as a thriving hub of life and work in the coming years, the Narayana Group of Educational Institutions is already coming up with a Boarding School at Sujalaam Skycity to further bolster the region’s education scenario.

Narayana Group, which is Asia’s largest educational conglomerate with more than 300,000 students in over 500 centres, is spread across 13 states. In the Skycity, the group has already begun constructing a Day Boarding School on 3.25 acres, a vast enterprise in its own right.

Clearly, the first chapter of a glorious history of skills and knowledge is already being written at Sujalaam Skycity.