Kolkata gets another mall before Durga Puja

The 3 lakh sq ft mall is located at Rashbehari-Bypass Connector. The height of Acropolis mall is 100 meters and the project cost is Rs. 400 crore.

The mall has five floors including the ground floor and three basement floors. Apart from its anchor store Shopper's Stop, the mall has clothing, footwear, accessories, beauty-care outlets.

The World's fourth largest Mexican multiplex chain Cinepolis is the another anchor of Acropolis mall which is located beside the 15000 sq ft food court on the 4th floor.

Opening the mall here, minister Firhad Hakim said, "We need more and more celebrating places like this mall because malls attract the youth generation. Sushil Mohta, a member of KMDA have made this super mall and a beautiful stadium beside. The stadium should be used properly."

Kolkata Mayor Shovan Chatterjee said, "Acropolis is a joint venture of Merlin Group and KMDA. Many malls have been built in Kolkata so far and many more to come. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is ready to sanction malls. We get a good revenue from the malls every year. This mall opens on Eid al-Adha and just before the Durga Puja, very happy moment for us."

Talking about the mall, the managing director of Merlin Group Sushil Mohta told IBNS: "This mall has been constructed in Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model with the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Few years ago, the first part of this project, Gitanjali Stadium, which is located beside this mall, was inaugurated. Doing the project here we got all supports and cooperation from the WB government. We will contribute approximately Rs. 150 crore yearly as revenue contributions to the government."

"The 3 lakh sq ft mall have all green building features. World's renowned architectural company has designed the mall with best infrastructure and support system. People will experience a great service here," he further added.

Zubin Cooper, the CEO of South Africa's pioneer architectural firm Bentel and Associates, which has designed the mall, told IBNS: "The building has been designed very well. We can call it a smart and green building. The security system of this building is best in class. This is a very good community centre in terms of its location." 

Actor-turned-politician Dev said the mall has made the city look beautiful.

Actor and TMC MP Dev said, "This mall has made the city so beautiful. Kolkata gets another mall with multiplex. Wish the Acropolis a great success."

Actress Mimi Chakraborty said, "This mall is very good and large too. It has multi-brand stores, a very good food court and also a nice multiplex."

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha, Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)