Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee visited Rajarhat and inspected the water bodies. The CM has instructed the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) to engage reputed consulting firm Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFS) to make a study on how eco-tourism could be developed around the water bodies.

As her convoy drove down Rajarhat's main arterial road from the airport, Mamata suddenly asked it to stop to take a look at the water bodies. The CM was accompanied by mayor Sovan Chatterjee, housing minister Shyamapada Mukherjee and Hidco officials.

While taking a look at a huge 300-acre water body, Mamata said that the spot could be properly developed into an eco-tourism park where many people would get jobs. "We want this area to be developed as a cultural, educational and eco-tourism park. ILFS will conduct a study on how this water body and the area around it could be developed into an eco-tourism spot," the chief minister said.

The housing minister, who is also Hidco chairman, said they will chalk out a plan to develop the water body once the study report is prepared and submitted by ILFS. The Hidco authorities are presently working on developing civic infrastructure in the area. "At present, our priority is to develop civic infrastructure in Rajarhat," he said.

IANS