KOLKATA : Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) hosted a high-level symposium focused on the urban regeneration, cultural revival and future development of Kolkata’s riverfront, with the presentation of the concept note “Reimagining the Hooghly Corridor” by Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.
The symposium was held in the presence of Shri Rathendra Raman, Chairman, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, along with senior officials, Board Members, Heads of Departments and other key stakeholders. The deliberations centred on the possibilities of transforming the Hooghly riverfront into a more vibrant, accessible and integrated urban space while preserving Kolkata’s distinctive historical and cultural character.
The “Reimagining the Hooghly Corridor” vision seeks to bring together Kolkata’s rich architectural and cultural heritage with improved connectivity, enhanced public access and a revitalised riverfront. The concept envisages the Hooghly not merely as a waterway, but as an important element of the city’s urban identity and a potential catalyst for wider economic, cultural and tourism-led development.
The proposed approach places emphasis on reconnecting the city with its river, creating better interfaces between waterfront areas and surrounding neighbourhoods, and making the riverfront more welcoming and accessible to citizens and visitors. It also seeks to explore opportunities for integrating heritage structures, public spaces, mobility infrastructure and waterfront activities within a coherent long-term framework.
Kolkata’s relationship with the Hooghly has historically been central to the city’s evolution. The river has played a defining role in the development of the port, trade, commerce, industry and cultural life of the metropolis. The proposed corridor vision seeks to build upon this legacy while responding to contemporary requirements of urban development, mobility, tourism and public spaces.
The initiative also highlights the potential for heritage conservation and adaptive reuse, improved pedestrian and public connectivity, river-oriented recreational spaces and enhanced visual and cultural links between the city and its waterfront. Such interventions could contribute to creating a more cohesive riverfront experience while retaining the character and historical significance of Kolkata.
For Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, the vision also aligns with the broader evolution of the port-city relationship, where modern maritime operations can coexist with initiatives aimed at strengthening the cultural, tourism and public-facing dimensions of the waterfront.
The symposium provided an important platform for senior officials and stakeholders to exchange ideas on the long-term possibilities of the Hooghly Corridor and examine how heritage, urban infrastructure, river-based activities and public spaces can be brought together within an integrated development vision.
The proposed Hooghly Corridor represents a forward-looking opportunity to reinforce Kolkata’s historic connection with its river while creating a waterfront that is accessible, culturally vibrant, economically meaningful and responsive to the needs of a modern city.
Through such collaborative efforts, the Hooghly can emerge as an even stronger defining feature of Kolkata—connecting the city’s past with its future and placing its riverfront at the centre of a renewed vision for urban and cultural development.
