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?