Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd has released the eighth and last ship in a series of anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts (ASW SWCs) built for the Indian Navy. The ship, named Ajay, was inaugurated at an event in Kolkata on July 21. These ships are versatile platforms and can participate in a variety of operations. Designed with low draughts, the crafts are capable of coastal operations, Low Intensity Maritime Operations, and mine-laying. These 77.6-metre-long and 10.5-metre-wide warships are also capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance in coastal waters and pack a lethal anti-submarine armory comprising lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines.
Old city ghat set for renovation, deal inked
In a significant step towards urban renewal and preservation of heritage spaces, the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata and TNS Logi-Park Pvt Ltd have entered an agreement to breathe new life into historic Doi-Ghat at the heart of the old metropolis. Located on the banks of the Hooghly River, at the confluence of Adi Ganga stream and the main channel, Doi-Ghat derives its name from the Bengali word for curd (doi), reflecting its historical link to the local dairy trade. Once a bustling commercial hub, the ghat served as a market where curd and other goods arrived in earthen pots, especially from Howrah, renowned for its dairy produce. At the intersection of key waterways, Doi-ghat had emerged as a centre for trade and daily dialogue between rural Bengal and the emeging metropolis of ‘Calcutta’.
15 new hotels to come up in next 5 years
Kolkata-based Ambuja Neotia Group announced an agreement for 15 new hotels with the Indian Hotels Company. This agreement is set to expand the partnership to over 40 hotels. The 15 new sites identified to be developed are a combination of greenfield, brownfield and conversion projects across West Bengal, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. These include Taj resorts in Sunderban, Darjeeling, Shimla and Rabong, SeleQtions hotels in Kolkata and Siliguri and Tree of Life in Dooars in North Bengal. The projects are expected to become operational in the next five years.
Kaushik Pradhan
Our correspondent in West Bengal
kaushik@newindianexpress.com