West Bengal has lined up several “bankable” tourism projects in public-private partnership mode, with “no land or environment issues”, State Finance Minister Amit Mitra said here on Thursday.
Mitra, who was in the Capital to meet potential investors, facilitated by industry chambers FICCI and CII, said he held about 40 one-on-one meetings with potential investors, including representatives from Asian-American Hotel Owners Association. He, however, refused to divulge any names.
Mitra said all the land required for the projects was Government-owned and had been identified. We have set definite timelines for all projects, he said. For instance, the bid issue for the Rs 1,500-crore Gajoldoba mega project, spread over 280 acres in Dooars, North Bengal, will open on January 30 and bid approvals will be done by April 30, this year.
Mitra said Pawan Hans Helicopters had offered to put its sea planes into service for tourism sites in North Bengal.
Similarly, for the Rs 800-Rs 1,000-crore Kolkata Ferris Wheel project, modelled on the London Eye, the bid issue will be on March 31 and bid approvals will be over by July 31 this year.
Among the other proposed projects are resorts to promote tea tourism in Sylee, an eco-tourism hub spread over 90 acres near the Tiger Rescue Centre in Sunderbans and a nature and adventure park in Kunjanagar, Dooars.
When asked about investor fears over law and order problems in the State and the renewed call for a separate Gorkhaland in North Bengal, which houses quite a few of the proposed projects, Mitra said, “Not a single person raised issues about the law and order situation.”. He asserted that there was “no law and order issue in West Bengal” and said it was in the interest of the people of North Bengal that tourists go there.