Kolkata's Book Town looks to London for its next chapter
Kolkata's iconic College Street is set for an Oxford Street-inspired makeover under the BJP government. The revamp will introduce pedestrian-friendly zones, heritage restoration and modern amenities while aiming to preserve the historic charm of Asia's largest book market and draw younger generations back to books.
Time seems to stand still as one enters the heart of Kolkata's intellectual capital, College Street. Still retaining its 19th-century soul, the nearly 1.5-kilometre stretch is home to thousands of bookstores and hundreds of pavement booksellers, making it Asia's largest book market.
Home to iconic colonial-era institutions such as Calcutta University, Presidency College and Calcutta Medical College, College Street -- better known as Boi Para, or Book Town -- is Kolkata's enduring hub of adda. Its narrow footpaths teem with students, job aspirants and book lovers weaving through tightly packed bookstalls, while the faint scent of fountain ink lingers in the air.
But beneath its timeless facade, change is underway. Two months after the BJP assumed power in West Bengal, College Street is preparing to turn a new page.
Making the announcement, West Bengal's Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul said the iconic thoroughfare is set for a grand makeover modelled on London's Oxford Street, one of Europe's busiest shopping destinations.
Besides the facelift, she said parts of the area would be designated as no-vehicle zones, while the entire stretch would become a no-horn zone to reduce congestion and noise, local media reported.
She added that cycle stands would be set up to help visitors navigate College Street, while battery-operated vehicles would be available for elderly people. To preserve the area's old-world charm, a redesigned tram is also being considered, Paul said, according to Bengali daily Sangbad Pratidin.
She further said the entire stretch would be illuminated on the lines of London's iconic Oxford Street, with bookstores redesigned around a common aesthetic. Vintage lamps would line the streets to preserve College Street's heritage, while benches and free public Wi-Fi would also be introduced. The heritage railings, she added, would be restored and made more aesthetically appealing.
According to Paul, the makeover will blend College Street's historic character with modern amenities. By transforming the area into a quieter, clutter-free public space, she said the government hopes to encourage more young people to return to College Street -- not to scroll through screens, but to flip through books.
Stretching for about two kilometres, Oxford Street blends the old with the new. Historic stone buildings stand alongside bright neon signs and digital billboards. Far more than a street lined with bookstores, it is one of the UK's busiest shopping streets and among Europe's leading retail destinations. It is also undergoing a major pedestrianisation project aimed at creating a more walkable public space.
For now, the proposed makeover marks the most ambitious attempt in decades to reimagine Kolkata's iconic Book Town without losing the old-world charm that has long defined it.