Calcutta, Nov. 11: The industries minister may cross continents to scout for investments in Bengal but his babus won’t walk the extra mile — 1.86 miles precisely — to reach office.

The commerce and industries department employees are sulking because the government has shifted their office from Writers’ Buildings to 4 Camac Street. The excuse: The Writers’ is close to Howrah station, about 4km, and also near to Sealdah.

Sanket Chowdhury, general secretary of the Federation of Secretariat Employees, said the Writers’ is a brisk walk from Howrah. From Sealdah, it takes half an hour to reach.

Camac Street, about 7km from Howrah and 6km from Sealdah, is a mile too far for the department’s 230 employees.

“Even if we reach Camac Street by public transport, we have to get down at Jeevandeep or at Nizam Palace. Then there’s a walk to Camac Street as no public transport is allowed in,” Chowdhury said.

Industries minister Nirupam Sen was recently in Germany wooing investors.

In Calcutta, his babus are wearing black badges. The government order had said the department will start operating from Camac Street on November 10. The attendance register has been taken to Camac Street, so the employees are marking attendance on a piece of paper.

Former chief secy dies

Rathin Sengupta, a former chief secretary, died today after a heart attack. He was 78.