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New Town On E-W Metro Radar,Planning Commission Asks State To Reconsider Alignment, Extension

By pardeep3dec, Section Kolkata Metro
Posted on Tue Oct 23, 2007 at 11:49:10 PM EST

The East West Metro may not be out of bounds for the residents of New Town if Planning Commission has its way. The plan panel has asked the state government to reconsider its alignment and extend it to New Town, even if it costs a little more.

The Planning Commission recently gave its green signal to the project. New Town was very much there in the original alignment. Later, it was truncated on either side in a desperate bid to cut costs.

In the revised alignment, which has been approved by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), New Town was left out of the alignment on the apprehension that the stretch would not draw enough passengers. "New Town is yet to take the shape of a city to draw an adequate number of passengers," said a transport department official.

However, an official of Hidco, the nodal agency for New Town, said: "By 2014, New Town is expected to have a population of seven lakh. They would face a major problem commuting if benefits of a rapid transit system do not reach the township."

The state government has also agreed to rethink the inclusion of New Town in the alignment as space for a depot had been allotted earlier. "Unlike Salt Lake, where Central Park's greenery would be completely destroyed if the terminal station were to be built there, the government does not even need to look for land to run the Metro till New Town," said a Hidco official. In the revised alignment, the depot is to come up on 40 acres at Salt Lake's Central Park. This land would be transferred by the urban development department to KMRC.

The Metro alignment was cut short on the western end, too. Instead of New Dasnagar, the Metro would terminate below Howrah station. "Logically, the East West Metro should run up to Santragachi to give maximum benefit to a larger number of people. The authorities are talking about the second phase. By the time that becomes a reality, it would outlive its utility. There should be strong public opinion for setting things right," said a railway official.

In fact, the east-west corridor is going close to New Town. According to the plan, the Metro would extend till Sector V. "If it crosses Kestopur canal, it will reach New Town. Not only the people of New Town, a large number of people living in nearby areas of New Town and Salt Lake, like Mahishbathan, can avail of the service," said a Hidco official.

From near Swabhumi, the Metro would run on elevated tracks. That portion will be 5.7 km long and the underground section, including the stretch under the Ganga riverbed, 8 km long.

JBIC has also asked for a detailed environment impact analysis for constructing a car shed at Central Park. The project has already got the green signal from the state pollution control board.

Source:The Times Of India,24-10-07

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