Can the 1700 acre stretch of sandy land alongside the river Ganges in Patna be converted into a world class city like Dubai with eco-friendly buildings, water sports facilities and other modern amenities? Yes, says leading Indian architect Hafeez Contractor who has recently submitted a proposal to the Bihar state government for such a project.

Contractor, who has been working on a re-development project of the Bihar State Housing Board (BSHB), said that “Patna has a lot of potential with regard to infrastructure development, especially with the positive leadership in the state.”

He added that the proposal envisaged residential, commercial and entertainment centres on 300 acres, as well as a 600 acre park on the lines of New York’s famous Central Park.

The city would also have facilities like seven-star hotels, malls and shopping centres, schools, hospitals, health clubs, meditation centres, art galleries, convention centres and sports centres.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is reported to be impressed with the proposal and has asked top officials of the Urban Development Department to hold a meeting with the architect. He spoke about the proposal in public when he laid the foundation for Bihar’s first multi-storeyed industrial complex at the Fatuha industrial area near Patna.