Kolkata's Comeback

Free enterprise and investment in infrastructure are turning Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, from a "dying city" to a "boomtown".

1 minute read

May 14, 2006, 1:00 PM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Boomtown fever is gripping this city, where Mother Teresa once ministered to the poor and sick. Dazzling skyscrapers, tacky billboards and huge tracts of land set aside for malls and condos have turned Kolkata into a showcase of free enterprise and private investment...What is happening in West Bengal is emblematic of the economic liberalization sweeping the country and fueling its impressive growth...Residents in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, describe a revived sense of confidence and can-do spirit..Traffic can still exasperate, but a new highway connects the airport to downtown and a gleaming new bridge spans the Hooghly River..."

Friday, May 12, 2006 in The Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

7 hours ago - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 24 - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

April 24 - Missouri Independent