Shristi Infra ties up with Westin Hotels & Resorts

KOLKATA: Shristi Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (SIDCL) has tied up with global hospitality major, Westin Hotels & Resorts, for its Rs 800-crore five-star hotel project in Rajarhat. Work on the hotel, which is coming up on a 8-acre plot is scheduled to be completed by end-2011.

Westin is the upscale chain owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, with operations across 24 countries.

The 323-room hotel, which has Spanish firm Cervera & Pioz as architects, will incorporate the novel bionic concept and is looking to be certified a eco-friendly green building by US rating agency Leed. "We are attempting to go for the platinum certification," SIDCL managing director Sujit Kanoria said at a press conference in Kolkata on Tuesday.

The hotel will target business travellers and be surrounded by a shopping and entertainment arcade with fun and fine dining establishments, speciality shops and cinemas. The rooftop helipad will be the first of its kind in any hotel across India.

In another first, the hotel will also boast an escape elevator with technology from Israel. The elevator operates on a separate power source and in case of a fire, opens up from outside, so that people can escape from each floor. "We have tried to take as many risk mitigation measures as possible," said Mr Kanoria.