RailEnquiry

Land issues, cost escalation make
proposal unviable, says Railway
official
Fresh uncertainties have called a
halt to the Joka-BBD Bag metro
project as the Union Finance
Ministry is opposing an elevated
track near Mint, Kolkata.
As per its original route plan, the
crucial 17-km metro line, proposed
to connect Joka (near IIM Calcutta )
with the central business district,
passes through Mint and territories
of Defence establishments .
Metro Railway, Kolkata, the
executing authority, was awaiting
the Ministry’s approval to continue
construction work for the proposed
station (Mominpur) near Mint. But,
the Ministry has asked the Metro
Railway to change the track into an
underground one near Mint.
“An underground track near Mint,
Kolkata is not technically feasible.
There are also issues related to
availability of land and shifting of
major utilities ,” Radhey Shyam,
General Manager, Metro Railway,
told Business Line.
Construction work has been
progressing on a nine-km stretch
between Joka and Mominpur.
Having started in 2010, about 10-15
per cent of the Rs 2,619-crore
project has been completed, Shyam
added.
Metro authorities have already
conducted a feasibility study for an
underground track between
Kidderpore and BBD Bag, following
objections by the Ministry of
Defence to an elevated track along
that stretch.
The entire metro link was originally
planned to be elevated.
Experts feel revising the plan to an
underground track beginning from
Mominpur would substantially
increase costs.