The fair ground, modelled on Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, has failed to attract international traders as business representatives from Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh are contemplating not to participate in the fair considering “poor infrastructure, lack of security and poor sales”. The ground will host the Kolkata Book Fair in January.

While the IITF is the largest international trade fair in north-east India, the Kolkata Book Fair occupies importance in the international calendar of events organised in the city.

But a reality check by The Indian Express revealed that a large part of the ground still remains unfit for hosting such fairs.

“No security has been provided in the fair ground. The infrastructure is not up to the mark for hosting an international trade fair. In Pragati Maidan, we have a turnover of Rs 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh per day while here we cannot manage to have a daily sale of Rs 50,000 per day. If the situation remains like this, we are thinking of not joining the fair next year,” said Kamal Anwar Tawfik, a trader from Cairo in Egypt.

Another trader from Pakistan, Aslam Khoureshi, said: “Security is a very serious issue at present, but there is no security arrangement in the fair ground. Our sales have dropped a lot as the people are not inclined to visit the fair for its location.”

Milan Mela was to be built by the West Bengal Trade Promotion Organisation (WBTPO) — a joint venture of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC). Around Rs 45 crore was allocated in the first phase for developing the ground, which was handed over to the WBIDC by the KMC in 2006.

The WBTPO was asked to complete the first phase within 18 months but still after nearly four years, it is yet to be completed.On completion, the fair ground will cover an area of 23 acres, of which five acres are allotted for parking space.

After it was reported that various companies cancelled their participation after visiting the fair ground last year, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had reduced the rent of the ground and offered a grant of Rs 43 crore to the WBTPO for the development of Milan Mela.

A senior WBIDC official admitted that work needs to be carried out in levelling the ground.