Forging an Audacious City

• Author: Gautam Deb

• Category: Essays

• Language: English

• Publication Year: 2021

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 184

• ISBN: 978-81-82111-60-8

About the Book:

Forging an Audacious City is a reflective account by Gautam Deb, the former Minister-in-Charge of Public Health Engineering and Housing Affairs of the Government of West Bengal, on the development of the New Town greenfield township project under the Left Front Government. This book offers a comprehensive retrospective of how New Town, a transformative urban project, was developed and its differences from previous greenfield township initiatives such as Bidhannagar, Kalyani, Durgapur, and Haldia.

New Town was a massive undertaking, with the goal to accommodate nearly one and a half million residents and a significant daytime floating population. The development process spanned the mobilization of approximately 3,770 hectares of land, funded without direct government budget provisions. Instead, a partnership was formed involving the Government, Housing Infrastructure Development Company (HIDCO), Public Sector Companies, Joint Venture Companies, Cooperatives, and individuals. It is estimated that this ambitious project would have cost nearly one lakh crore rupees.

The township's development began in 1995 under the leadership of then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu. This book serves not only as a personal narrative of Gautam Deb but also as an archive, documenting the facts, challenges, and collaborative efforts involved in the creation of New Town, highlighting its audacity and complexity.

Through this book, the author provides a deep dive into the history of urban planning, development challenges, and the political will behind New Town’s success. It is an essential read for anyone interested in urban development and the planning of large-scale projects.