Mintu Roy (52) who is a marginal farmer stays with his family in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. He has built 3-storey house that resembles famous Royal Mail Steamer (RMS) Titanic which is under construction.
He started the construction on a 9.5 decimal land in 2010 at Nichbari village under Phasidewa block, Mintu thinks it would take years to complete the building as the family is struggling to garner the fund.
The engineers who he consulted initially backed out as he could not pay them. He then left for Nepal and there he learnt masonry. He returned home after three years and invested whatever he had saved to carry on the work of the building.
His wife Iti told, “Though we have not kept the record of how much money has been spent so far, I guess it should not be less than ₹15 lakhs. We were very poor and after the birth of my daughter we started hiring land on lease from others and started cultivating vegetables.”
“Later we also got a three bigha land from our father-in-law where we have started a tea plantation. Mintu also drives toto (electric rickshaw) that would fetch him some extra money,” Iti added.
“I hope to complete the house and shift there by next two years. I want to run a small tea shop on the deck. The building will also have intricate woodwork and staircase that resembles the ship’s elegant design,” Mintu said.
Mintu’s son Kiran Roy said, “It makes us happy when people even from far-flung places visit our neighbourhood and click photos of the building. Journalists have been regularly visiting the family and enquiring over the phone. I also want to help my father financially to realise his dream come true.”
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