The model has been built by Chandrakanta Santra, a 32-year-old resident of West Bauria in Howrah district.
Ahead of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, a bullet train will run in Kolkata — of course a model one — at a Durga puja pandal in north Kolkata.
On October 14, the train will be ready and open for public view at the pandal on College Street, organised by College Square Sarbojonin Durgotsav Committee.
The model has been built by Chandrakanta Santra, a 32-year-old resident of West Bauria in Howrah district. Talking to DNA, Santra said it was his dream to help the people of West Bengal witness a bullet train. "I was very excited when I heard about bullet train plying in India, but I was slightly disappointed to find out that it will run only between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. In sync with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's idea of 'egiye Bangla' (Bengal moving forward), I have decided to bring bullet train to Kolkata first," Santra said.
A temporary employee of a jute mill, Santra has worked for over six months and has spent over Rs 70,000 to make the model. It is a 20-feet long train on a 70-feet long track. A station has also been built for it. The entire model will be installed at a platform on the College Square swimming pool for public view. The train will blow its hooter before entering the station. A screen door will be raised at the station before the train enters the station, and as it comes to a halt at the station, mechanical doors will open and an announcement would be made.
"The glass door is my innovation to send a message to the authorities here given the high rate of suicide at Metro lines," Santra said. He said that he had done a lot of research online for several weeks before starting with the bullet train model.
Santra had to drop out of school owing to a financial crunch in the family, but his passion for building models egged him on to pursue his dream in this way. He has already made models of Titanic, Howrah Bridge, White House and London Bridge, which have drawn accolades as well as some money.
"We are a family of 10. I have my parents, four sisters, one brother and two nieces. My father pulls a rickshaw and my brother is an auto driver. I earn a paltry sum from the jute mill. I give these models to puja committees and fairs for exhibition to earn some money, but that is hardly making ends meet. If I get some support from the state government I can build bigger better models. Otherwise I will have to leave these and look for some other means of earning," Santra rued.
Members of the puja committee were hopeful it would be a major attraction this year. "Santra had proposed this idea to us. He presents some model or the other for our puja every year," said Shankar Dasgupta, secretary of the committee.
Model Maker
- Chandrakanta Santra, a temporary employee at a jute mill, has worked for over six months and has spent over Rs 70,000 to make the model.
- He has already made models of Titanic, Howrah Bridge, White House, and London Bridge, which have drawn accolades as well as some money.
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 "Bullet train model")
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