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Time of India
14-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Cosmo Para Salt Lake
1 2 3 4 5 6 In the early summer of 1962, a stretch of marshland on the eastern edge of Kolkata began its transformation into what would become one of Bengal's most iconic urban experiments. Guided by the vision of then chief minister Bidhan Chandra Roy, a planned township was carved out from the shallow waters of a vast salt lake — reclaimed cell by cell with slurry pumped from the Hooghly. This land would come to be known as Bidhannagar, or, more famously, Salt Lake. By the early 1970s, the first residents began to arrive — teachers, clerks, govt officers, and professionals — drawn by the promise of clean streets, planned roads, open spaces and quiet living. The timing coincided with a tumultuous historical moment: during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Sector II of Salt Lake temporarily housed over a lakh refugees. Soon after, the township hosted the Congress party's national session. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi stayed in the newly built guest house, later renamed Indira Bhavan, which eventually became the home of CPI(M) patriarch and former CM Jyoti Basu. Through the 1980s and into the '90s, Salt Lake's reputation began to crystallize. With 64 blocks and five sectors, it wasn't just a satellite township any more — it was the address to be at. While the rest of Kolkata struggled with crumbling infrastructure and narrow lanes, Salt Lake represented vision, order and quiet affluence. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Each block was carefully planned, complete with parks, community markets, and housing plots that came with their own garages. The concept of "para" evolved into something more sophisticated: neighbours gathered in well-maintained parks, shopped at clean markets that were zoned, and bonded over morning walks and evening adda sessions in open fields. Residents recall those years with unmistakable fondness. "When we moved here in 1985, it felt like a different country," said Kalyan Chakraborty (80), a former state govt employee and one of the oldest residents of Salt Lake. "Wide roads, green cover, no hawkers cluttering the pavements. It was peaceful and elegant — something Kolkata wasn't." Chandra Mukherjee of AC Block echoed the sentiment: "In the '90s, this was a power address. Ministers, bureaucrats, film stars — everyone who mattered had a house in Salt Lake." Indeed, under the Left Front regime, Bidhannagar became the nerve centre of political power. Former CM Basu resided here, as did cabinet members like former sports minister Subhas Chakraborty and former finance minister Asim Dasgupta. Their presence turned Salt Lake into a fortress of authority and sophistication. It was not uncommon to spot top actors, academics, and senior officials mingling in neighbourhood events or catching an early morning walk around the stadium. Civic infrastructure kept pace. The township boasted of an international-standard football stadium — Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan — as well as City Centre mall, a dedicated fairground, and its own swimming pool. Add to that well-planned roads separated by traffic islands, a healthy drainage system, clean water supply and strict building regulations that limited height and prevented congestion, Salt Lake was held up as the model for future Indian urbanism. But like all cities built on dreams, Salt Lake, too, has seen its foundations shift. Over the last 15 years, a slow but steady transformation has taken hold. The children of the original settlers, now professionals in their 30s and 40s, have increasingly moved away — either to other Indian cities or abroad. Left behind are elderly parents, large family homes, and a township gradually hollowing from within. "In most big houses, elderly residents live alone," said Gora Roy, secretary of CF Block residents' association. "Their children live elsewhere and elderly couples are left all by themselves. Many have even moved away with their children, leaving the homes empty." To make practical use of these oversized homes — and to generate income — many residents have converted their ground floors into commercial spaces. Cafes, boutiques, coaching centres, salons and clinics have popped up across blocks. While this has infused Salt Lake with a buzz of activity, it has also opened the doors to more dubious enterprises. In recent years, the township has made headlines for the wrong reasons: fake call centres operating out of residential homes, shady spas, and other illegal set-ups that exploit the lax enforcement in what was once a tightly regulated space. Police crackdowns are now routine and one of the primary jobs of cops now is to check on elderly residents. Adding to this churn is a demographic shift. An increasing number of non-Bengali-speaking families have bought into the township. Older stand-alone houses have been sold, demolished, and replaced by apartment blocks. The skyline is rising but so is the density — and, in some cases, the friction. The once homogenous Bengali para is now more diverse, but also less cohesive. But with commercial interest intensifying, and property rates soaring, enforcement remains patchy. The township, once proud of its uniformity and restraint, now finds itself grappling with the pressures of unregulated growth. Still, there is hope. Salt Lake remains one of the greenest and most infrastructure-rich areas in the greater Kolkata region. Its community parks, while less populated than before, continue to serve as gathering points. The local markets — despite facing competition from malls and online platforms — retain a loyal base of customers. And in quiet corners, some para traditions endure: a shared cup of tea at dusk, neighbourhood Durga Pujas, a Sunday trip to the fishmonger. "During the first few decades, there was no para culture in Salt Lake as people from outside came up and started living here. Slowly, the block associations came up and a community bonding developed. Now, every block has its own para culture with everyone feeling included," said Kumar Shankar Sadhu, former secretary of Bidhannagar welfare association. Salt Lake has never just been about buildings, boulevards, water tanks and traffic islands. It's always been about people — coming together, making a para their own, and turning the township into home.
Hans India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Kadapa Congress chief condoles deaths in Pashamylaram explosion in Sangareddy
In a press conference held on Tuesday at the District Congress Office (Indira Bhavan) in Kadapa, N.D. Vijayajyoti expressed her profound sorrow over the devastating explosion at the Sigachi Pharmaceutical Unit near Hyderabad, which has so far claimed 42 lives, with fears that the toll may rise. She extended her heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and called for immediate justice for those affected, urging the government to take responsibility and provide ex-gratia settlements. Vijayajyoti also highlighted the plight of tenant farmers in the region, lamenting that over Rs. 1,000 crore in outstanding payments to approximately 46,000 farmers—who supplied grain during the Rabi season—has yet to be disbursed. "It is deeply unfortunate that farmers who have taken loans for seeds and pledged their paddy are still waiting for their payments," she remarked. "The government must act promptly and release all outstanding dues." The press conference was attended by Sirajuddin, DCC Vice President; Vijay Kumar and Sushil Kumar, Youth Congress State Vice Presidents; Moinuddin, Minority State Vice President; Mamilla Babu, NSUI District President; and Palem Hariprasad.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rahul Gandhi begins moving to new official residence on 55th birthday
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi started moving into a new spacious Type-8 official bungalow—5, Sunehri Bagh Road, New Delhi— on his 55th birthday on Thursday. He will fully shift before the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins on July 21st. A Gandhi aide said he started shifting even as he is likely to continue meeting people at 10 Janpath, his mother Sonia Gandhi's residence, and Indira Bhavan, the Congress headquarters, even after settling in. Gandhi was entitled to the new residence as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. 'He has done it up with a lot of passion, and hence it took a year,' said the aide. The aide said Gandhi has sought to recreate 'a private space' like 12, Tughlaq Lane, the house where he lived earlier. Gandhi has resided at 10, Janpath since 2023, when he vacated 12, Tughlaq Lane, following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. In August 2023, Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership was restored 137 days after he was disqualified as the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a criminal defamation case filed by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Gujarat. Parliament's Estate Directorate offered Gandhi the Sunehri Bagh residence in 2024 following his return to the Lok Sabha and election as Leader of the Opposition. BJP leader and former Union minister A Narayanaswamy previously occupied the bungalow. Gandhi's sister and Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, oversaw the decoration and furnishing of the new house. Gandhi will move into the new home with canine companions, Pidi Gandhi and Yassa, a Jack Russell Terrier. He also gifted his mother, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, a Russell Terrier puppy, Noorie. The aide said it remains to be seen whether Gandhi's office will be at the new residence or Indira Bhavan, indicating that logistical decisions are pending. '[The shift] might herald a new time for RG [Rahul Gandhi...[The new address] will become the nerve centre as we go towards winning the 2029 election.'
