Kolkata, Nov 14 (IANS) On a whirlwind visit to Kolkata, British Prime Minister David Cameron, who Thursday arrived in the city, sealed eastern metropolis’s colonial connect with a short walk by the iconic Howrah Bridge and the railway station.
Cameron also visited the Akashvani Bhavan, the All India Radio headquarters, giving interviews to the British media atop the sprawling terrace of the office that affords a breathtaking view of the city dotted with monuments from the colonial era.
AIR sources said Cameron insisted on going to the rooftop despite officials trying to discourage him for security concerns.
The panoramic view let him scan landmarks like the Maidan, the Victoria Memorial and the Howrah Bridge under the clear winter sky.
Hosted by British Deputy High Commissioner Scott Furssedonn, Cameron was accompanied by security personnel and select media persons. The area that he walked through was cordoned off with high security.
Traffic at the iconic Howrah Bridge, the gateway to the once capital of British India, was restricted as Cameron strolled on, surrounded by his security entourage.
After participating in an interactive programme at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Cameron headed for the British High Commission building where he will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.