West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, municipal affairs and urban development minister Ashok Bhattacharya, Calcutta mayor Prasanta Chattopadhyay, CPT chairman HP Roy, Calcutta municipal commissioner Asim Barman and CMDA's chief executive officer PK Pradhan were present at the signing ceremony.

The river front beautification scheme has three stretches. First, 750 metre stretch from Princep Ghat to Kingsway; second, 400 metre Kingsway-Babughat stretch; and the third, 1000 metre Babughat-Fairlie Place stretch.As per the agreement, the first stretch will be developed by CPT, second stretch by Calcutta Municipal Corporation and the third phase by Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority.

HP Roy said this river front beautification is agift of CPT to all citizens as a concluding part of 50 years of India's independence. The beautification of Strand Road for zone one stretching from Man-of-War jetti to Outram Ghat is expected to be completed by May 9.