Eco Park / Eco Tourism Park- Kolkata

Quick Overview:

Timings:

1st March to 31st October (Summer Season)

Tuesday to Saturday: 2:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Sundays and Public Holidays: 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM

1st November to 28th February (Winter Season)

Tuesday to Saturday: 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Sundays and Public Holidays: 11:00 AM - 7:30 PM

Closed on Monday

Time Required:

Minimum 2-3 hours (if you love being in the lap of nature, a whole day will fall short)

Ticket Price:

INR 30 per person (3 years and above),

Ticket counter closes at 7:30 PM

Photo by Jodie Louise from Pexels

Eco Park is a good place to get free air out of the crowded environment of Kolkata city.  You can come to Eco Park to have a good time with family or friends.  This park is not just a normal park.  Its size is so large and it has so many sections inside that many people cannot visit the whole park in one day.  The very beautiful and well-planned decoration of the park has always captivated the minds of the townspeople.  It is the biggest urban park in India and occupies over 475 acres of land.

The idea of ​​an eco-tourism park in Kolkata was proposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.  HIDCO - West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation, in collaboration with several departments, has started construction of an eco-tourism park in Kolkata.  The park has three main parts - the ecological zone, the park and the recreation area.  Suitable rides or activities are available in each area.  You can enjoy everything as you wish.  There are also cottages and conference halls in the park, which can be rented for personal or business purposes.  Inside the park, each part is arranged in different themes.  A brief description of it is as follows-

Butterfly garden:

Here you will see many species of butterflies in a huge dome.  The dome basically controls the temperature inside.  Inside the dome are many trees ‌ and an artificial pond চোখে that help butterflies live in a more natural way.  This butterfly garden in Eco Park is an ideal place to see butterflies.

Mask garden:

This garden is decorated with masks collected from different parts of the world.  This garden has been created under the absolutely open sky.  There is a variety of masks in different parts of the world according to the art, culture and life style.  Here you will have the opportunity to see all those varied masks.

Tea Garden:

As we all know, tea trees cannot be cultivated wherever we want.  Tea is mainly grown in hilly areas.  The topography, soil and climate are suitable for tea cultivation.  But Eco Park authorities have shown tea cultivation on the plains.  However, the risk was not less pohate.  This place has been made suitable for tea cultivation by bringing soil from a hill station called Dwars in West Bengal.  A toy train station has been built next to this garden.  In other words, every effort has been made to give the audience the feeling of a hill station.

Seven Wonders:

We all know about seven wonders of the world.  Kolkata now has its own and personal Seven Wonders of the World!  The creative city of India has actually gone ahead and created replicas of famous wonders of the world such as the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, The Lost City of Petra, and Colosseum, among others.  Covering 480 acres of land in the Eco Park, this tourist attraction is one of a kind.

Rose Garden:

Rose Garden has a long walkway lined with rose shrubs.  The garden also has fountains and sculptures to add to its charm.

Formal Garden:

Formal Garden is located between the Eco Children's Park and Visitor Center.  It is a large garden where an extraordinary garden has been created with readily available trees.  Which means it's about to be the most delusional time of the year, as well.

Bamboo Garden:

The Bamboo Garden has a variety of Bamboo Plantations that come in various sizes, right from short grass type to giant bamboo shoots.  The plantations are arranged in a way that it creates a serene yet interesting themed garden.

Fruit Garden:

Here you will also find orchards.  The garden is basically decorated with all the trees found in West Bengal.  If you go to the fruit season, you will also see the fruit filled with trees.  Enthusiasts often get drawn to the Fruit Garden to identify the species.

Meadow Garden:

This garden has a variety of wild flowering plants and overlooks the lakefront promenade.  Visitors can take a long stroll across the garden to get to the promenade.

Sculpture Garden:

This is where one can find sculptures of the 19th and 20th-century legends and events related to them can be found.

Rabi Aranya:

Rabi Aranya features plants and trees mentioned in the literary works of Rabindranath Tagore.  The aranya reflects the ambience of Shantiniketan Ashram and is beautifully landscaped with benches, a lotus pond, walkways and commemorative pavilions.

Things to do:

Gaming Zone:

A perfect hangout for gaming lovers.  It costs INR 50 per person for an hour.

E-Byke:

E-byke or electric bike ride is a great way to get an experience of bike riding.  It costs INR 150 per head.

Eco Cart:

The Eco Cart serves as a convenient vehicle to commute from Counter 1 to Children's Park.  It costs INR 100 per person and goes one way only.

Toy Train:

A toy train runs all around the Eco Park covering most of the important parts of the park.  It costs INR 150 per person for a round trip that lasts about 25 minutes.

Bird Watching:

The well-maintained park serves as a suitable environment for watching various species of bird and draws bird watchers in large numbers to the park.  Bird Watching costs INR 10 per person.

Cycling:

Eco Park has facilities for Baby Cycling, Solo and Duo Cycling to suit the visitor's preference.  Baby Cycling costs INR 70 per person for 30 minutes, Solo Cycling costs INR 150 per person for 30 minutes and Duo Cycling costs INR 150 per pair for 20 minutes.

Ice Skating:

No matter how unimpressive your skating skills, a trip to the 1,600-square-meter rink at Eco Park is guaranteed to be a ton of fun.  A 30-minute slot on weekdays costs INR 170 and a 45-minute slot costs INR 200. On weekends, a 30-minute slot costs INR 200 and a 45-minute slot costs INR 230.

Paint Ball:

A game of Paint Ball costs INR 50 for 5 balls and is a fabulous game to play with friends or family.

Boating:

Solo or group boating facilities are also available in the serene water body that surrounds the beautiful park.  Different types of boats are available here.  Such as rowing, water cycling, paddling, shikara boat ride, speed boat or kayaking.  The cost ranges from INR 50 - 300 depending on the type of boats, number of people and the amount of time one wants to go boating for.

Land and Water Zorbing:

Traveling a stretch on water or land inside a Zorbing Ball is an adventurous and exciting activity that can be done at Eco Park.  Land Zorbing costs INR 200 per person for a stretch of 200 meters, and Water Zorbing costs INR 150 per person for 30 minutes.

Rifle Shooting:

Eco Park has a Rifle Shooting Range and costs about INR 50 for 10 shots per person.

Archery:

Visitors can try their hand at Archery at the Archery Range in the park.  It costs INR 70 for 5 arrows per person and is an interesting way to sharpen mental focus.

How to reach:

Eco Tourism Park is located at a distance of 18 kilometers from the city center.  Taxis or private vehicles are the best modes of transport in Kolkata to reach the park.

CTC bus C8 is a direct bus to Eco Tourism Park.  It departs from Tollygunge Depot.  Bus No.  46B or 217B can also be hailed from Esplanade at Chinar Park or City Center 2.