Eco Park (Eco Tourism Park)

Eco Park, also called Eco Tourism Park, is a large urban park in Action Area II of New Town, Rajarhat, on the north-eastern edge of Kolkata in West Bengal, India. It covers several hundred acres of landscaped gardens, lakes and woodland and has become one of the city's most popular open spaces for families, joggers and photographers. The park is arranged around a central water body with themed gardens, a number of ponds and wooded stretches that attract migratory birds in winter, and it includes cycling tracks, walking paths, boating areas, a toy train, children's play zones, a musical fountain and an amphitheatre. A well-known feature is the collection of scaled replicas of famous world monuments, set along a lakeside path, which are especially photogenic in the evening when they are illuminated. Visitors typically spend two to four hours, hiring a bicycle or taking a boat ride, walking the lakeside paths and stopping at the food courts. Entry tickets are modest, with additional charges for boating, the toy train and cycle hire. Winter mornings and evenings are the most pleasant, when temperatures are mild and the migratory birds are present from December to February, which makes the park a rewarding stop for birdwatchers carrying binoculars. The summer afternoon sun is strong and the park offers limited shade along some stretches, while the monsoon can close some activities. Weekends and public holidays are very busy, with large family groups, whereas weekday mornings are calm. The park is most easily reached by app cab from the airport or from central Kolkata, as public transport links to the gates are limited. The ticket counter closes earlier than the park itself, so visitors should arrive well before closing time.