THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY September 25, 1954 From the Calcutta End Improving the City VERY city has its individual- bers lambasted the Government fol Calcutta's land and buildings are E ity. Calcutta does not like ks alleged modernist craze. Archi going out of the hands of the Ben streamlined buildings or sky-scrapers. tectural considerations are not un- gali middle-class. This changing It is jealous of its parks and ponds; important in the improvement of a economic makeup may or may not of the Maidan and the Eden Gar city. But one fails to appreciate be deplorable. But. the Improvement dens. These are the " lungs" what architectural beauty there is in Trust is not responsible for this. Nor through which the city breathes. It the uncouth Writers' Buildings, or is the Trust conniving at, or hasten inhales foul, smoky air. But Oppo- in any structure in and around the ing, the process of transfer of Cal sition members of the West Bengal "Laldighi ". cutta's immovable property from the Assembly endorse the popular cry Bengali to the non-Bengali. AGAINST MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE against encroachment on the city's MIDDLE- CLASS DISPOSSESSED parks and maidans. Recently, the Opposite the Writers' Buildings, This has nothing to do with the Improvement Trust was under fire on the southernmost side of the Trust's acquisition of land and build- in the Assembly, Opposition mem "Laldighi", an ambitious modern nigs, for improving the city. In the bers were critical of the Govern structure is being raised for the process, some Bengali middle-class inenl and the Trust as the Improve main Calcutta Telephone Office. owners of land and buildings are This building, as well as the sky ment Trust (Amendment) Bill was being deprived of their properties- scraper—the tallest in India—which being debated by the Assembly. But these properties are not going has been constructed for housing the There have been frequent criti into the hands of non-Bengalis. secretariat, is a fine, modern struc cisms against the Trust's vandalism. Apart from this, there is no valid ture. But the Assembly members In Calcutta, the people and the poli reason why the owners of immovable endorse the people's dislike of ticians are fond of talking about cul property should he paid fifteen per ture and tradition. In widening modernist architecture without frills. streets, or in demolishing shuns, Calcutta, apparently, like London, some buildings or places of historic tikes its streets, "buildings and sur cal interest have had to be interfer roundings to remain dirty and shabby. ed with. West Bengal Assembly's Tastes differ. Some like ornamental Communist leader was loud in his structures. Some prefer streamlined complaint about unimaginative inter buildings with modern amenities ference with some buildings and and conveniences. Both the Gov places intimately associated with the ernment and some industrial con names and memories of famous and cerns are building some fine struc illustrious Bengalis like Vidyasagar tures. But, funny as it may seem, and Ram motion. There is some: Calcutta resents these structures as sense in this criticism. modern monstrosities. DISFIGUREMENT OF BEAUTY SPOTS LAND ACQUISITION AND COMPEN- There are others who are critical of the disfigurement of Calcutta's There will be honest differences famous beauty spots like the Eden of opinion about some of the criti Gardens. Today, the Eden Gardens cisms levelled against the amending are not as beautiful or woody or Bill by Opposition members. It is secluded as they were twenty years rather strange that a PSB leader, and ago. Sportsmen deplore that the a former mayor, will take objection famous Eden Gardens cricket pitch to the clause in the Bill winch is not well kept now. Visitors com seeks to amend the Land Acquisition plain about the unfinished stadium. Act under which the Trust has to Beauty lovers resent the ugly and pay fifteen per cent over and above somewhat barren look that the Eden the market value for compulsory Gardens have acquired. There have acquisition of land and buildings. been vehement protests about the There are many middle-class families Government's reported plans to which own land and buildings in encroach further on the " Laldighi ", Calcutta. Nevertheless, it is rather or on the Maidan or on the Espla unfair to criticise the Government nade. There is need for preserving and Improvement Trust for driving and keeping the city's "lungs " free away the Bengali middle class from and uncongested. the heart of the city. These arc valid criticisms. But it It is necessary to know some is difficult to appreciate the West thing of the economic make-up of Bengal Assembly members' antipathy Calcutta to appreciate this scut of to " modern ' structures and build criticism. The Bengali middle-class ings. Shri Iswar Das Jalan, Minis is educated, but is poor and is get ter for Local Self Government, claim ting poorer. Business in Calcutta is ed while introducing the Calcutta monopolised by n on-Bengal is. Cal Improvement (Amendment) Bill that cutta's land and buildings are being its aim was to improve the city on purchased by the city's non-Bengali "modem lines". Opposition mem business community. That is how, 1063 September 25, 1954 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY cent extra. Prices of land and build- tenants, who are ousted as a result inspector notice of the uninhabit- ings in Calcutta arc hopelessly in-; of the activities of the Improve able state of most of Calcutta's flated. Such inflated market values ment Trust, deserve sympathy. They dwelling houses. But it does not include all the conceivable factors have nowhere else to go. Their require much imagination to realise that go to make up the price. If choice is limited by their lean purse. that, unless the almost prehistoric the Zammdars are not being 'paid They will be stranded. It was in buildings are first demolished, the any extra money for the Govern evitable that this aspect of the prob other desirable improvements cannot ment's zamindary aholition plans, lem would be severely criticised by be introduced. Thus it comes about there is no reason why the owners Opposition, members. It was also in that the Improvement Trust's acti of land and buildings in Calcutta evitable that the Minister piloting vities mean only replacement of old should receive a special treatment. the Bill would gloss over it. But ,it slums by new ones. And, so dirt After all, it is the ratepayer who is interesting to note some remarks and disease continue and multiply. finally pays for all this. by a nitwit on this aspect of the There can be no piecemeal solu One need not have to be inhuman problem. DVC is expected to-solve tion to Calcutta's problems. Acti or callous if one does not shed tears all problems of West Bengal. DVC vities of the Improvement Trust for these middle-class families, who has also rehabilitation plans. And, alone cannot " improve " Calcutta. are rich and fortunate enough to as one nitwit argued, DVC has pro There is need for a Master Plan for own land and buildings in Calcutta. mised "land for land and house for Calcutta and its extensive suburbs. These owners will be duly compen house " to those who are dispossessed This means extension of the Improve sated. They will have the capacity of lands and houses. To be fair to ment Trust's jurisdiction to include and opportunities to buy cheaper the West Bengal Government, it did the expanding jurisdiction of the property in the outlying areas of the not advance any such ridiculous de Corporation. This .involves rapid city. In some cases, injustice may fence. But, in an argumentative city electrification of the suburban rail ensue. But in an old, unplanned, like Calcutta, one occasionally hears ways. All these activities will have sprawling city like Calcutta, such such silly arguments. to be integrated and implemented cases cannot be altogether avoided. One has to know and live in Cal rapidly. Calcutta's, as well as West Calcutta's Improvement Trust is cutta to realise how serious and stu Bengal's, main problem is health of more active than its counterpart in pendous the problem of improving the population. In Calcutta, tuber many other big cities in India. This the city is. It is easy to be critical. culosis is so common that it is no is something which is not against, But one fails to understand how the longer dreaded as a deadly disease. but in favour of, tire Calcutta Im city can be improved unless three- West Bengal's Census Commissioner provement Trust. Calcutta, indeed, fourths of its buildings are demolish deeply deplores the declining health needs so much improvement so ed, unless gas or electricity is intro of the population. The average rapidly that one would have welcom duced as home fuel and unless the Bengali has become a fatalist. One ed had the Trust been more active. sanitary arrangements are completely shudders to think what will happen THE DISPLACED TENANTS overhauled. One has not yet been to Bengal and the Bengali unless Not the middle-class property- able to probe the secret of how something is done rapidly to im owners of Calcutta, but the poor building-owners escape the municipal prove the situation.
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