The Union cabinet approved the revised cost of the East-West Metropolitan Corridor Project for Kolkata on Wednesday, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said. The project completion cost estimated at ₹8,575 million rupees, Goyal added. The project is likely to be completed in December 2021. “This will give a boost to the public transport system,” said Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
The total length of the project is 16.6 km and will consist of 12 stations. It will connect Howrah on the west bank of the Hooghly River with Salt Lake City on its east bank.
“The metro corridor will alleviate traffic congestion, improve urban connectivity and provide a cleaner mobility solution for thousands of people who commute to work,” added the minister.
“Since this corridor connects the three most important parts of the Kolkata metropolitan area, namely Howrah, the Kolkata business area and New Settlements in Salt Lake, it is going to revolutionize mass rapid transit in Kolkata and in neighboring Howrah and Bidhanangar. . This will connect important landmarks such as Howrah, Sealdah, Esplanade and Salt Lake Sector-V, which is an IT hub, “the official statement said. The project will integrate multiple modes of transportation such as the subway, suburban rail, ferry and bus. through the construction of exchange centers.
On October 4, Goyal inaugurated the Phoolbagan station in Kolkata’s east-west subway corridor, describing the extension of the line from Salt Lake Stadium as a “gift of Durga Puja” to the people of the metropolis. Goyal also marked the first train from the new station to Salt Lake Sector-V, and told the entire length of the corridor.
Phoolbagan is the first underground station to come into operation in the East West Metro corridor, which travels both below the surface and on elevated tracks, and also through underwater tunnels under the Hooghly River. MG Road, on the main north-south line of the Kolkata metro, was the last metro station to be put into service in September 1995. All metro stations that will come into operation after that are elevated or level.
“Estimates are that this line (East West subway corridor) will be used by almost 10 billion people by 2035. That in itself will be a great service to the people of Kolkata,” he said.
Goyal said that although the project was sanctioned in July 2008, very little work had started until 2015. “There were land acquisition problems, resettlement problems, and then the state government made us change the alignment; all of this resulted in a huge delay and cost escalation, “said the minister.
Work on the East West Metro corridor was also interrupted due to an accident caused by the explosion of an aquifer in the Bowbazar area of central Kolkata during drilling operations in August 2019.
“Due to PM Modi’s focused monitoring of the project, his intervention and personal involvement, because he was able to realize that the inhabitants of Kolkata are facing difficulties due to traffic and the delay of this project, he ensured the availability of adequate funding and the implementation of the project, “he added. .
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