KOLKATA: The Bengal government plans to release approximately 20 acres of land in New Town Action Areas II and III for various purposes including residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. HIDCO will auction these parcels via e-auction next month.
Two plots of 4.1 acres each in Action Area II and three additional plots measuring 7.3 acres, 3.2 acres, and 0.6 acres in Action Area III have been earmarked for this initiative. The starting bid for the 7.3-acre parcel is set at Rs 292.2 crore, while the smallest 0.6-acre plot starts at Rs 26 crore.
Officials noted that New Town is being developed to accommodate a planned population of 1 million. With Action Area I and sections of Action Area II completed, attention is now turning to developing the remainder of Action Area II and Action Area III.
The average price for mixed-use plots in Rajarhat-New Town ranges from Rs 30 crore to Rs 40 crore per acre, depending on their location and accessibility to main roads. It was determined a few years ago that all plots in the township would be sold exclusively through commercial bidding.
New Town, sprawling over around 7,598 acres on the northeastern outskirts of Kolkata, is rapidly becoming one of India’s fastest-growing planned cities. Located just 10 km from Kolkata’s central business district, adjacent to Salt Lake and near the airport, approximately 12,000 housing units have already been completed with another 16,000 units in progress. The township ultimately aims to accommodate around 200,000 units to address housing demands, according to officials.
Samir Gupta, secretary of the New Town Citizens Welfare Fraternity, welcomed the decision, stating, “The emergence of more residential and commercial properties will significantly benefit the overall development of the township. Authorities should also focus on enhancing civic infrastructure, especially in Action Area III, and consider revisiting the earlier proposal for a monorail to connect Action Area III with Biswa Bangla Sarani.”
Samaresh Das from the New Town Forum remarked, “Development in New Town has predominantly occurred in Action Area I. It’s promising to see more housing initiatives moving into Action Area III, where many IT firms are establishing offices. This will contribute to the overall advancement of the township.”
