01st November, 2011
Kolkata Gears Up to Welcome More Tourists With an Addition of Over 2,500 Hotel Rooms in The Next 2 Years
The high season room crunch in Kolkata is set to ease in the next 18-24 months with the addition of over 2,500 rooms. At least seven hotels that are under construction will become operational by 2014, with Taj Gateway being the first to open its doors early 2012. Following suit will be Westin, Courtyard by Marriot, The Lalit (Great Eastern), Novotel, ITC Luxury Collection, two Sarovar hotels and JW Marriot.
With the new year round the corner, work on some projects has picked up pace and is progressing at a fast clip. Taj Gateway, a 200-room business hotel, is nearing completion. "The hotel will be operational in the first quarter of 2012-13," said a company source.
The 200-room Lalit, the reconstructed heritage hotel Great Eastern, is expected to become operational thereafter. While the heritage frontage and rear sections will house premium rooms, the modern building constructed between the two blocks will house the bulk of the rooms, banquets and restaurants.
Four hotels in New Town: 200-room Novotel, 323-room Westin, 250-room Courtyard by Marriott and 150-key Best Western adjoining Swissotel are next in line. All of them are expected to become operational by 2013.
"We expect the hotel to become operational by December 2012. Though construction is scheduled to end around September next year, staff training will begin in advance at an alternative location to ensure quick commissioning," said Jain Group vice-chairman Shrayans Jain, who is building the Westin hotel.
The twin tower Bionic structure by Srishti group will house a hotel and service apartments. Both facilities will be managed by Westin.
In 2014, the focus will shift to EM Bypass where construction of the 500-room ITC Luxury Collection is underway. Though ITC is mum on when the hotel that promises to take luxury to a new level will open its doors to the guests, the towering 30-storey property is sure to go operational in 2014.


