By IANS
Kolkata : The West Bengal government has allocated around 250 acres at New Town in Rajarhat on the eastern fringes of Kolkata for setting up a diplomatic enclave.
Official sources said the government has offered the 40 foreign missions in the city – mostly consulates or deputy high commissions – the option of moving to the enclave after buying plots there.
“We have identified land in Action Area II of the township for the diplomatic estate,” Goutam Deb, housing and public health engineering minister, told reporters Thursday.
The Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) will set up the enclave.
“The diplomatic missions in the city will have to buy plots at the prevalent rate which now varies between Rs.1 million to Rs.1.5 million per cottah (720 sq ft),” a Hidco official said.
The space earmarked for the enclave has been calculated after taking the strength of the foreign missions into consideration.
“We got the number and the strength of the missions from the external affairs ministry. There will be enough open space in the area after the missions set up their offices,” the official added.
The Hidco authorities said representatives of the US consulate here have shown interest in purchasing land in the diplomatic enclave.
“We are interested in shifting to the diplomatic enclave, though we are yet to get all the details of the proposed area,” Douglas G. Kelly, director of the American Center, told reporters.