The World Trade Center Association (WTCA) and the Merlin Group have partnered for developing a World Trade Centre in the Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) area, Salt Lake, West Bengal at an estimated investment of ₹1,500 crore. The facility spread over 3.5 million sq ft is expected to generate close to 30,000 jobs.
The facility will have World Trade Center branded services including trade information, trade education; research, inbound & outbound trade missions, business services, tenant services, international business club, conference facility, convention and services, exhibition facility and IT/ITes offices, combined with support facilities, retail, 5-star hotel, F&B outlets, as well as entertainment facilities, as per the present policy.
This is the first under construction World Trade Center in eastern India, said a press statement. The license agreement for World Trade Center, duly executed, was exchanged between Scott Wang, Vice-President, World Trade Center Association, Asia Pacific region, and Sushil Mohta, Chairman along with Saket Mohta, Managing Director of Merlin Group, Kolkata.
According to Wang, it will support in attracting business with overseas countries and also promote trade and business through 320 World Trade Centers spread over nearly 100 countries across the world. Wang heads the Asia-Pacific region of World Trade Center Association, which includes many countries, such as, India, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, and Srilanka.
The proposed World Trade Center will reinforce the economic prosperity of West Bengal as well as eastern India by forging collaboration with international trade bodies and investors from other countries through other World Trade Center members, apart from contributing significantly to the State Exchequer, said Sushil Mohta.
In India, the oldest World Trade Center is in Mumbai. There are also World Trade Centers in Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Noida and Pune among others.