IHCL Partners Port For Chotelal Ki Ghat Revival

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality group, has announced a landmark collaboration with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, for the redevelopment of Chotelal Ki Ghat on the banks of the Hooghly River. The historic site, which traces its origins back to the 1870s, will undergo restoration and beautification as part of a heritage-led development initiative supported by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The project is closely aligned with the Government of India’s Namami Gange Program and Swachhata Initiatives and represents a significant step in combining cultural preservation with sustainable urban growth. IHCL will commit an investment of up to ₹5 crore over the next three years to bring the ghat back to life.

Chotelal Ki Ghat, once a bustling social and cultural hub along Kolkata’s riverfront, has over time lost much of its grandeur to neglect and urban pressures. With this redevelopment, stakeholders aim to restore the ghat’s structural integrity while simultaneously enhancing its aesthetic and functional value. The initiative is envisioned not merely as a physical restoration project, but as a movement to reconnect the community with the Hooghly River and celebrate the city’s living heritage. Through a blend of heritage conservation and modern amenities, the project aspires to transform the ghat into a space that benefits both residents and visitors, reviving its role as a vibrant cultural landmark.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President, Human Resources at IHCL, emphasized that the redevelopment of Chotelal Ki Ghat is deeply aligned with the company’s ESG+ framework of Paathya, which integrates sustainability and heritage preservation into IHCL’s business philosophy. “IHCL, in line with its ESG+ framework of Paathya, is committed to preserving India’s cultural heritage while driving meaningful social and environmental impact. Chotelal Ki Ghat holds deep historical and cultural significance for the people of West Bengal. The project aims to restore and conserve the ghat, enhancing its aesthetic and functional value while strengthening the community’s bond with the river,” he said.

The partnership between IHCL and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port is being hailed as an important example of heritage-led infrastructure development. The agreement outlines a holistic redevelopment process, involving not just physical restoration, but also beautification, landscaping, and sustainable usage of the site. With INTACH guiding conservation aspects, the project will ensure that the ghat’s unique architectural and cultural character is preserved while making it more accessible and relevant to present-day needs. Local communities are expected to play a key role in the redevelopment. Plans include involving local artists for wall and boat painting, providing opportunities for stall vendors, and creating spaces that can serve both cultural and economic functions. The beneficiaries of this project will thus extend beyond tourists and heritage enthusiasts to include residents, small businesses, and artisans.

The partnership between IHCL and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port is being hailed as an important example of heritage-led infrastructure development. The agreement outlines a holistic redevelopment process, involving not just physical restoration, but also beautification, landscaping, and sustainable usage of the site. With INTACH guiding conservation aspects, the project will ensure that the ghat’s unique architectural and cultural character is preserved while making it more accessible and relevant to present-day needs. Local communities are expected to play a key role in the redevelopment. Plans include involving local artists for wall and boat painting, providing opportunities for stall vendors, and creating spaces that can serve both cultural and economic functions. The beneficiaries of this project will thus extend beyond tourists and heritage enthusiasts to include residents, small businesses, and artisans.

Shri Rathendra Raman, Chairman of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, described the MoU as a milestone in sustainable and community-centric development. “This MoU with IHCL marks a significant step towards heritage-led development. With an investment of nearly ₹5 crore under CSR, staggered over three years, the renovation of the historic Chotelal ki Ghat will not only restore its cultural essence but also enhance its appeal as a public and tourist destination. This partnership reflects our shared vision of sustainable infrastructure, community benefit, and preserving Kolkata’s iconic riverfront for generations to come,” he said. His remarks highlight the broader vision of the project: to ensure that heritage conservation serves as a catalyst for urban regeneration and cultural continuity.

The initiative is part of a growing recognition in India that heritage conservation and sustainable development can complement each other. Kolkata’s riverfront, dotted with historic ghats, has long been central to the city’s identity. However, many of these sites have fallen into disrepair due to lack of maintenance and rapid urbanization. By restoring Chotelal Ki Ghat, IHCL and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port are not only reviving one of these landmarks but also setting a precedent for how public-private partnerships can address cultural preservation while generating socio-economic value.

IHCL’s broader ESG+ Paathya framework integrates environmental stewardship, social responsibility, governance, heritage preservation, value-chain transformation, and sustainable growth. The inclusion of cultural heritage projects within this framework underscores the company’s belief that sustainability must also account for intangible values like history, tradition, and community identity. Through initiatives like this, IHCL is positioning itself as more than just a hospitality company, but as a steward of cultural and social ecosystems.

The Chotelal Ki Ghat redevelopment is expected to contribute to the beautification of Kolkata’s riverfront, improve public amenities, and create livelihood opportunities while preserving a critical piece of the city’s heritage. Once completed, the ghat is envisioned as a rejuvenated public space where locals and tourists alike can engage with history, culture, and the Hooghly River in meaningful ways. The project highlights how partnerships between private companies, public institutions, and conservation bodies can deliver sustainable solutions that balance economic growth, environmental responsibility, and cultural continuity.

As Kolkata prepares to witness the transformation of one of its historic ghats, the collaboration between IHCL and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port offers a blueprint for future initiatives that integrate heritage conservation with community development. The redevelopment of Chotelal Ki Ghat is not just a restoration effort—it is a reaffirmation of the city’s timeless bond with the river and a commitment to passing on its cultural legacy to future generations.