Kalighat temple area to be beautified, says Mamata

Kolkata, July 4 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced plans to refurbish and beautify the area surrounding the iconic Kalighat Kali temple in the city, considered one of the 51 "Shakti Peeths" (seats of divinity) in India.

"We have earlier refurbished and beautified surroundings of Dakhineswar Kali temple, Tarapeeth, Furfura Sharief, Belur Math, etc. We plan to beautify the entire Kalighat area, keeping the basic structure intact and without evicting anybody," Banerjee told the media.

She was briefing the media at the state secretariat, Nabanna, following a high-level meeting where senior ministers, Kalighat temple officials, senior police officials and bureaucrats were present.

The Chief Minister said the drive would entail "only adjustment and readjustment" in the locality around the 200-year-old temple, one of the holiest spots for Hindus.

"Entire temple's original structure will be maintained. We may shift Kalighat police station. Entry and exit points will be improved," she said.

To carry out the beautification, a survey would be initiated to flesh out the details, she said.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said the city's civic body -- Kolkata Muncipal Corporation -- had been tasked to formulate three to four Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

"The date for submitting the DPRs is August 31. After we receive it, we will again sit together for a discussion. Then we will select the plan that will be taken up (for implementation)," she said.