1.7 cr sanctioned for 23 ramps at Salt Lake fairground
Times of India | 21 November 2024
12 Kolkata: The Central Park fairground at Salt Lake is set to have 23 accessibility ramps for the convenience of people with disabilities. The state govt on Wednesday approved a funding of Rs 1.7 crore to the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) for setting up the ramps, constructing a new toilet block, and revamping the existing fire prevention system within ‘Boimela Prangan' before the upcoming Kolkata International Book Fair from Jan 28.
"The ramps will be constructed to connect the ground from the peripheral roads. In some places, there is a gap of one ft between the road and the ground which makes accessibility difficult for people in wheelchairs. There will be ramps in almost all the major stalls as well," said an official.
"Besides setting up ramps, there was also a feedback that the toilet block was in shambles and needed to be refurbished. The existing fire prevention system will also be upgraded," said a guild official. It has also been planned that the ring road around the Salt Lake Central Park fairground will be kept free from street artists and vendors to ensure the smooth dispersal of vehicles during the book fair.
The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is ready to organise the Bidhannagar Fair Utsav at the Central Park fairground from Dec 17 to Jan 6, following which the ground will be restored before the book fair commences. BMC is engaging an agency to construct temporary stalls, pavilions, kiosks, amusement areas, and gates for the fair.
Sufficient number of fire extinguishers and CCTVs' will be installed acrossthe ground and security personnel will be posted at all the entrances. Blue and green colour wastebins will also be placed at different places to maintain cleanliness of the grounds.