Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port-Kolkata (SMPK) has partnered with IIT-Kharagpur to develop a comprehensive Riverbank Masterplan for revitalising the Hooghly riverbanks and ghats in Kolkata and Howrah.

The initiative aims to strengthen tourism potential by introducing a world-class river cruise terminal, modeled on facilities in Varanasi and Assam. SMPK Chairman Rathendra Raman said, “In order to start a river cruise, we need a world-class river cruise terminal…We are building a river cruise terminal in Bengal with the help of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.”

A tender has already been floated for a one-km stretch at Jorabagan, alongside plans for dynamic lighting on Howrah Bridge.

The project includes Millennium Park 3 as a new tourism hub, development of Armenian Ghat with a museum, and CSR-led restoration of five-six ghats. Officials stressed sustainable tourism under the Responsible Tourism Mission 2025 framework.