BJP promises Rs 500 crore fund to help Kolkata get UNESCO World Heritage tag

Major parts of Kolkata are set to vote only in the last few phases of the ongoing assembly polls in West Bengal, but the BJP has already prepared and started the process of reaching out to the people of the city with its vision for the state capital that includes new IT parks, massive infrastructure push, new libraries, cultural meetups and better facilities for artists. A four-page booklet that will be taken to households in Kolkata has a section called ‘Ebaar Notun Kolkata’ -- or This time, a new Kolkata -- which talks about popularising the Durga Pujo pandals by exploring their tourism potential.

Apart from a cultural hub in Shanti Niketan, the party is promising a Rs 500 crore fund to make Kolkata suited to bag the UNESCO world heritage tag, an additional Rs 1,500 crore to keep it clean, and a Rs 22,000 crore outlay to build modern infrastructure in the city, including in universities and government buildings. The section also promises new IT parks, fire audits in buildings, CCTV cameras in street corners, 3,000 new government buses and a unified card to use public transport, a pharma park in Newtown named after legendary chemist and philanthropist Prafulla Chandra Ray.

On Thursday, addressing a press conference, BJP state vice president Pratap Banerjee and Bengal co-convener Amit Malviya talked about parts of the party's manifesto that promise to revive the glory of the city, promote its heritage and culture and make it truly world-class.

Malviya said the ruling Trinamool Congress talked only about promoting the state's culture but chief minister Mamata Banerjee only ended up playing appeasement politics and neglected the overall development of the city. Some BJP leaders feel this might increase the party's chances in the city that largely remained elusive to accepting it even when it won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2019. Seven of the TMC's ministers come for the city and its surrounding areas.

Political analyst Bishwanath Chakraborty told ET that it was important for the BJP to campaign heavily in Kolkata as its manifesto has not reached the voters in the city as it should have. "They should particularly talk about what they are promising for women which every person in the city will like,” Chakraborty said, “Except a few, the councillors have largely remained in the TMC and not jumped to the BJP. So, this is an important perception-building exercise in the city where the party has voters but doesn't have the visibility that the TMC has."