Demand for shelter is usually higher in areas close to the metro-core. Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), therefore, took up implementation of new area development projects in the fringes of metro-core. Some such projects were: Baishnabghata-Patuli Area Development Project, East Kolkata Area Development Project, West Howrah Area Development Project, Nonadanga Area Development Project and Hatirsur Area Development Project. Besides providing serviced land with essential civic infrastructure, the area development projects of KMDA have aimed to provide certain essential facilities like school, college, hospital, health centre, shopping complex, bank, post office, fire station, recreational centres, etc., so that the beneficiaries of the projects can avail of the basic urban services within a new township itself.

The principle of cross subsidization has been applied for pricing of lands, by which lands have also been made available for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and also Low Income Groups (LIG) of people within their respective affordability.

Baishnabghata-Patuli Area Development Project
The township, covering a total area of 297 acres, intends to accommodate a population of 55,000. Located at a distance of 15 km. from KBD and accessible from EMBP and also from Garia and Baghajatin Railway Stations, the township provides individual residential plots varying in size from 0.46 cottah to 2.96 cottahs, corresponding to different income groups from EWS to HIG. More than half of the total township area shall be used for locating services and as open areas. The estimated completion cost of the project, including the cost of electrical and mechanical works, is Rs 2,500 lakh.

East Kolkata Area Development Project
The East Kolkata township, located on the eastern fringe of Kolkata, is only 10 km. away from KBD and accessible by EMBP. It is connected with the Ballygunge railway station through the Rash Behari connector to EMBP. The township would cater to a population of 80,000. The individual residential plots shall vary in size from 0.66 cottah to 3.63 cottahs for different income groups of people ranging from EWS to HIG. Besides, there are larger plots available for group housing, industrial, commercial and institutional purposes. In this project too, more than half of the total project area of 647 acres shall be earmarked for services and open spaces. The estimated completion cost of the project, including the cost of electrical and mechanical works, is Rs 4,400 lakh.

West Howrah Area Development Project
The project site is hardly eight kilometres from the Howrah railway station and abutting the NH 6 Bypass on the west and the Howrah Amta Road on the south. The total area of the project measures about 165 acres. Whereas the 145 acres of land on the south of Howrah-Amta railway line that bisects the project area shall be developed for residential, commercial and institutional uses primarily, the 20 acres on the other side of the railway line shall be developed primarily for manufacturing and processing industries. However optimistic the project might be in terms of beneficial impacts, it has encountered a number of unforeseeable site constraints. Attempts are now being made to overcome the hurdles and facilitate implementation of the project.

KMDA has implemented two other area development projects. They are Nonadanga Area Development Project and Hatirsur Area Development Project. The Nonadanga project is essentially an extension of the East Kolkata Township project and covers an area of 91 acres. The Hatirsur scheme covers a total area of 32 acres and is primarily meant for residential and institutional uses.

A large number of plots have already been allotted and delivered to beneficiaries, who have been selected by lottery. The projects have made it possible for a large number of people to own a plot of land close to KBD, which would not have been possible for them to secure from the open market. Of particular significance are the plots allotted to EWS and LIG groups of beneficiaries, who could not have dreamt of owning land.

Similar such projects are being planned by KMDA for implementation in the near future. The locations being explored for the purpose are Gayeshpur (near Kalyani), Dankuni and Uluberia in Howrah and Sonarpur and Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district.