Kolkata/Salt Lake

Salt Lake (সল্টলেক Salṭlek), officially Bidhannagar (বিধাননগর Bidhānnagar), is the information technology (IT) hub of Kolkata, and one of the earliest planned towns of West Bengal. The Salt Lake Stadium and the Kolkata Book Fair are major crowd pullers, with the Central Park and the Wetlands provide a respite from the din of city life.

Salt Lake was developed between 1958 and 1965 to accommodate the burgeoning population of Kolkata. Over the years, the township has become an IT hub of Kolkata, and companies like Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro have their offices in Salt Lake. There are also several government office buildings lining the Central Park, which is part of an effort to decongest Kolkata.

Salt Lake is divided into five sectors, I to V, each are further divided into blocks. Navigating the locations in sectors I to III are intimidating without an online map service, as the street layouts are about the same. Each block has a market and a park for residents. Sector V is notable for hosting numerous government and IT offices.

• 🌍 Boimela Prangon (বইমেলা প্রাঙ্গণ Baimelā Prāṅgan), 3rd Ave, Sector III (metro: Karunamoyee  2 ). Site of the annual Kolkata Book Fair that takes place from the last week of January to the first week of February. It is the largest book fair in Asia and is a significant event in the city. (updated Jul 2025)
• 🌍 Central Park, Sector III (Central Park  2 ). A large hexagonal urban space in Salt Lake and a favorite hangout spot for lovers. It is built around an expansive water body. There is a bridge which connects on side of the lake to an island which has a pagoda. The lake serves as a haven for water birds. There are also boating facilities in a cordoned off section of the lake near the rose garden. (updated Feb 2025)
• 🌍 Nalban Boating Complex, Sector IV (Nicco Park ), ☏ +91 33 2357 2888. 10:30AM-6:30PM. Nalban (নলবন), as the name suggests, is mainly lakes and creeks (নল nal) fringed by groves (বন ban). Part of the Ramsar site East Calcutta Wetlands, it is a beautiful picnic spot for families, who would like to spend few hours in the lush greenery and placid lake. It is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Its unpolluted environment offers a respite and soothes the visitors. The boating complex contains paddleboats, rowboats and shikaras. ₹30-50. (updated Jul 2025)
• 🌍 National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), GN 33, Street 27, Sector V. The parent organisation respnsible for science and technology museums across India. Its headquarters itself hosts several exhibitions for visitors, like Rabindranather Bigyan Bhabna (Tagore's philosophy on science) and Portable Fun Science Exhibition. (updated Jan 2025)
• 🌍 Nicco Park (নিকো পার্ক), Sector IV (Nicco Park ), ☏ +91 33 6628 5549, +91 33 6628 5509. 10:30AM-6:00PM. It is the Disneyland of West Bengal with its various adventure rides. Opened in 1991, Nicco Park is one of the biggest amusement parks in the country and has innovative entertainment for all age groups. This amusement park offers fun for children as well as adults and draws crowds from Kolkata, especially on the weekends. A decommissioned MiG-21 bomber is on display here. ₹500. (updated Jul 2025)
• 🌍 Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (বিবেকানন্দ যুবভারতী ক্রীড়াঙ্গন)), JB Block, Sector III (Salt Lake Stadium  2 ). A major occasional crowd puller, the stadium has the second largest non-auto racing capacity in the world and the largest in the Indian subcontinent. It is used for association football matches and athletics. The stadium was built in 1984 and holds 120,000 in a three-tier configuration. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Street No. 5 (Mini Times Square), GP Block, Sector V. A pedestrian plaza, stretched from Infinity Benchmark to RDB Boulevard. Opened in September 2023 with a vibe of New York's famous intersection, this cyberpunky area has become a hangout spot for social media reels. There are tall obelisks on both sides, and walking spaces in between. Each obelisk carries an LED screen that displays various tourist spots of West Bengal. (updated Aug 2025)
• 🌍 Vadya Vithika, IB 201, IA Block, Sector III, ☏ +91 33 2335 6796. 11AM–5PM (closed on Sa, Su). Run by Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, the museum has more than 450 instruments, along with several rare and extinct musical instruments from different regions and tribal communities of India. Each exhibit contains details of the instrument's origin, how it is made and how it is played. Free. (updated Sep 2025)

• 🌍 Charnock City, KB-26, Sector III, ☏ +91 33 2335 1349.  
• 🌍 City Centre, 3rd Avenue, DC Block, ☏ +91 33 23581011. Restaurants and bars include Afraa Lounge, KFC (1F, Block A), Pizza Hut (1F, Block A), Afraa Restaurant (7F, Block G), Caught n Bowled (4F, Block B), Copper Chimney (3F, Block C), Haka (2F, Block E) and Kaafila (3F, Block B).  

• 🌍 Absolute Barbecues (AB's), 1F, OMEGA, GP Block, Sector V, ☏ +91 73373 83770. ₹800–1,000 per head. (updated Dec 2024)
• 🌍 Charnock's, 9F, KB 26, Sector III, ☏ +91 33 23351349, +91 9051325905. noon–11PM. Continental, Bengali, North Indian cuisine. Drinks served. (updated Dec 2024)
• Mishra's Bar & Restaurant. Bar with good food arrangements. North Indian, South Indian, Continental, Chinese cuisine. 
  • DG 1, Sector II, ☏ +91 33 4009191, +91 33 4009195. 9AM-11PM. 
  • 🌍 IB-157, Sector III (Near Tank 14), ☏ +91 33 40669178. 11AM-10PM. (updated Jul 2022)