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How Can We Make Kolkata More Beautiful?

How Can We Make Kolkata More Beautiful?

It was a moment of pride for Kolkata when the city was honoured with the C40 Cities Award last year at an awards ceremony in Mexico City. Kolkata’s Solid Waste Management Improvement Project (KSWMIP) was chosen as a winner for “Solid Waste” in the C40 Mayors Summit, where 40 mayors from around the world assembled…

Should We Have More Green Buildings in Kolkata?

Should We Have More Green Buildings in Kolkata?

Going green is the new trend worldwide, and India’s realty sector isn’t falling behind in this regard. From malls to office spaces, and residential units, buildings are increasingly becoming eco-friendly. With the city’s IT hub — Salt Lake — getting its first eco-friendly commercial building, Technopolis, in 2006, Kolkata entered the ‘green’ brigade pretty early…

Is the Hospitality Scenario in Kolkata Changing  for the Better?

Is the Hospitality Scenario in Kolkata Changing for the Better?

With fresh investments coming in, the hospitality sector in the Eastern metropolis of Kolkata has started looking up in the last couple of years. The overall outlook of hospitality scenario in Kolkata at present, and in the future, appears to be bright and hopeful. Kolkata’s Hospitality Landscape: Then and Now  Not long back, the city’s…

How to Beat the Summer Heat at Your Home with a Smile on Your Face

How to Beat the Summer Heat at Your Home with a Smile on Your Face

Our summers are getting hotter with each passing year. This year, it’s all set to be another sizzling and scorching summer with temperatures scaling new records. As such, cities like Kolkata are already feeling the heat, testing 40oC in the early weeks of May. In fact, Kolkata tops the list of 44 most heat-stressed megacities…

How Can Kolkata Go Green and Enjoy Cooler Summers?

How Can Kolkata Go Green and Enjoy Cooler Summers?

“I miss those wonderfully bright mornings,” sighs Tanima Basu, a 40-year school teacher living in Kolkata. “The soothing greenery and the chirping of birds used to be a pleasant start of the day…nowadays, it’s so bleak, so gray!” complains the Beliaghata resident. Unfortunately, she is not alone in experiencing this. The city’s ‘green cover’ is…

Is Kolkata Still the Cultural Capital of India?

Is Kolkata Still the Cultural Capital of India?

Think of Kolkata, and the frames that pop up are of trams, yellow taxis, the majestic Howrah Bridge, and the vibrant cultural diversity of the city soaked in music, art, literature, theatre, the ‘adda’ culture — and Kolkata’s very own, Durga Puja. No wonder, the city of joy has earned the title of ‘The Cultural…

Are There Enough Income Opportunities in Kolkata for the Young?

Are There Enough Income Opportunities in Kolkata for the Young?

Bengal, once a front-runner in India’s industrial movement, has been lagging behind the rapidly industrializing states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. This is primarily due to a sharp decline in the industrial index, as evident from government reports that indicate a free fall in manufacturing from 11.5% in 1980-81 to 2.9% in 2007-08. Of…

Is the Spread of Shopping Malls in Kolkata Making Residents Fashion-Savvy?

Is the Spread of Shopping Malls in Kolkata Making Residents Fashion-Savvy?

Till a few years ago, Kolkata was not seen as a fashion conscious city. Except for the city women, who always had an eye for gorgeous sarees, Kolkata didn’t put a premium on looking good. Not any longer. A major factor which made the Kolkatans far more fashion conscious is the spread of shopping malls…

EM Bypass Gariahat Connector — the New Food Street of Kolkata

EM Bypass Gariahat Connector — the New Food Street of Kolkata

Ask anyone even remotely acquainted with Kolkata’s food culture — “which is the ‘food street’ of the city?” And it’s almost certain that they’ll say “Park Street”. From the humble “bread and stew” at the local street stall to the succulent sizzlers and continental cuisines at the fine dining restaurants, Park Street has it all. No…