A village within an urban setting, offering a taste of rustic delights to the visitors, New Town Kolkata’s Eco Urban Village is a gust of fresh air amidst the humdrum of city life.

Developed on a 3-acre plot with natural vegetation adjoining a 23-acre water body, the Eco Urban Village is a perfect picnic spot close to New Town’s Eco Park. However, the picnic experience offered by Eco Urban Village has been deliberately planned to be quite different from that of Eco Park. Opened on 24th December 2014, New Town’s Eco Urban Village has remained a picnickers’ paradise.

Concrete is very pleasantly absent at the Eco Urban Village, except for the two rest rooms attached to the picnic areas, reflecting the careful planning that went into its development.

The place has been strictly made plastic free and noise free, ensuring that the environment is not jeopardized.Visitors can even get their bicycles to ride around the property.

There are two areas reserved for picnics, with separate cooking and eating zones. Besides, to keep the children engaged and entertained, the playground has swings and seesaws.The winding trail cutting through the greenery by the lake has become a walkers’ and joggers’ favourite. Also, there are colourful paddle boats available for those who wish to take a ride on the lake.

The centre of the park has a beautiful “Akhra” or circular meeting place with its sloping thatched roof made of rice straw and its open sides. The decorative woodwork that embellishes it has been painstakingly hand-carved by Bengal’s skilled artisans. This is a typical rural structure, which is found in the Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal. Over time, this space has become a venue for “adda” and interactive conversations.

Additionally, there are two add zones, modelled on the “Kalo Bari” of Shantiniketan, at the picnic spots to the east and west of Eco Urban Village. The facades of these areas are decorated with sculpted art in black.