It had taken over a decade to commission the first phase of the Kolkata Metro, which happened in 1984, although work on the project had started as far back as 1973. And now, the city's next major mass rapid transport initiative — the Rs 4676 crore East-West Metro corridor — may well face delays too, owing to complications between major agencies involved in the project.
Officials of the Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation (KMRC) — a joint venture between the Union urban development ministry and the West Bengal government, along with the Japan International Cooperation Agecy — that is executing the corridor, have indicated that the 2014 deadline may have to pushed back as work on certain sections are going slower than originally intended.
“For the overground sections, more than 50 per cent of the work has been completed. As for the underground part, work has started at the Subhas Sarovar and physical construction at Howrah Maidan-end should start by February next year. But we still haven't got the required clearances from the Railways, and if that isn't sorted out soon, it could mean a setback of at least six months,” a KMRC official said.
The East-West Metro project will connect Salt Lake to Howrah through a 13.70 km route, of which 5.70 km will consist an elevated track and the remainder, including a tunnel under the Hooghly river, will be underground.
However, at the Howrah and Sealdah railway stations, KMRC temporarily requires about 8,000 square feet of space for construction of stations, which will subsequently be returned to the Railways. But these spaces are yet to be allocated, even though the Mamata Banerjee-led Ministry of Railways has previously sought permission to become a primary stakeholder in this project.
Meanwhile, the Union urban development ministry has asked for the West Bengal government's view on the Railways becoming part of the project.
More From This Section
“In a letter on December 7, 2010, the chief secretary (of the West Bengal government) has written to us saying that if the Ministry of Railways wants to implement the project, then the state government wants to let go of its share. But they have also stated some conditions, and the letter is being studied by us,” Union ministry of state for urban development Saugata Roy said.
Incidentally, while Banerjee heads the Trinamool Congress, West Bengal's principle Opposition, Roy is a senior leader in the same party. West Bengal transport minister Ranjit Kundu, on his part, had earlier told PTI that he has “no problem as long as the project is completed.”