Kolkata, July 22 (IANS) West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul on Wednesday inspected the cultural and academic hub — College Street in Kolkata — as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government’s decision to give the street a makeover on the model of London’s ‘Oxford Street’.
The Minister visited the entire College Street area with Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Commissioner Smita Pandey and other officials. She reached College Street in the morning.
While touring the area, she spoke to pedestrians and a few shopkeepers.
As part of the plan, a section of College Street will be turned into a no-vehicle zone. There are plans to relocate bookstores there. Book lovers will be able to cycle around the area.
Minister Agnimitra Paul said that this special initiative is being taken to get the next generation out of the addiction to mobile and digital world and turn them towards books again.
“No one will come with a bicycle. Everyone will take a bicycle from the bicycle stand here. And those who want to walk will be able to do that. There will be battery-operated cars for the elderly,” she added.
Elaborating on the state government’s plan for College Street, the Minister said, “There will be bookstores, notebook shops and book cafes. There will be a no-vehicle zone. Bicycles will only ply and there will be battery-operated cars for the elderly. There will be benches for reading books. There will be no noise. However, we will not touch the main College Street now. Because, it is an important traffic zone. Shops will be relocated from the main street. We will make stalls with similar designs for shopkeepers. We will give this place a makeover.”
According to the plan, the entire sidewalks and roads of College Street will be decorated in the style of the traditional Oxford Street in London.
The surrounding bookstores will be decorated in a similar style and theme. There will be old-fashioned vintage lamp-posts, benches and free Wi-Fi, so that the younger generation can sit and read books in peace or listen to music with headphones.
College Street is the intellectual and literary heart of Kolkata. It is home to one of the world’s largest second-hand book markets, the sidewalks are lined with hundreds of bookstores and pavement stalls selling everything from first editions and academic texts to schoolbooks, competitive exam guides and second-hand novels.
The neighbourhood is home to some of the country’s oldest and most distinguished educational institutions, including University of Calcutta, Presidency University, Sanskrit College and University, Hindu School and Hare School, making it a academic and cultural hub for generations of students and scholars.
The legendary Indian Coffee House, a favourite haunt of writers, artists, professors and political thinkers, adds to the area’s timeless charm.
–IANS
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