Kolkata set to get its second rowing hub at Captain Bheri – Millennium Post

KOLKATA: Kolkata has got its second rowing and kayaking training hub in the form of Captain Bheri near Chingrighata on Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. This is the second such hub after Rabindra Sarobar in South Kolkata with the state Fisheries department joining hands with Calcutta Rowing Club for developing the facility.

State Fisheries minister Biplab Roy Chowdhury said that his department was planning to use more waterbodies for water sports rather than limiting them to only pisciculture. “We want to develop this place as a model in respect of rowing and kayaking in the country. We have a large water body stretching for 1.5 km, close to this place in the form of Nalban. Once we start rowing and kayaking activities at Captain Bheri, we will take the project to Nalban too,” Roy Chowdhury said. He added that the Captain Bheri is an ideal place to breathe clean air, which is scarce in the city.

So far, Kolkata had only one rowing facility – at Rabindra Sarobar – where three clubs – Calcutta Rowing Club (CRC) , Bengal Rowing Club and Lake Club – offer rowing training to trainees of different age groups. There is another small facility run by CRC at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta but that is available only for the students there.

“The Fisheries department has provided us the space and we will usher in the necessary technical support for developing Captain Bheri as an additional facility to Rabindra Sarobar. A second rowing facility, especially in the other part of the city, was the need of the hour,” Chandan Roy Chowdhury, secretary of CRC said.State Fire and Emergency Services minister Sujit Bose, who is also the MLA of Bidhannagar, referred to the unveiling of Captain Bheri as a a New Year gift.