The Centre has proposed an allocation of more than ₹4,000 crore for the four Metro projects in and around Calcutta in this year’s budget. In the 2023-24 budget, the allocation was less than ₹3,500 crore.
“The railways now is focusing on infrastructure development, including Calcutta’s Metro network. The budgetary allocations once again reiterate the fact that funds will not be a problem as long as work continues. In most places, the land logjams have been resolved So, work should be progressing,” said a senior official in the railway ministry.
The proposed outlay for 2024-25 for the New Garia-airport (Orange Line) corridor is ₹1,791.39 crore, according to the documents uploaded on the website of the Indian Railways. The revised outlay for 2023-24 for the corridor was ₹1,700 crore.
The 30km Orange Line, which aims to connect New Garia with the airport via Salt Lake, is now functional on a 5.4km section between the New Garia and Ruby stations.
The next stretch due for commercial run is the 4km section between the Ruby and Beleghata stations. The commissioner of railway safety inspected the section in March-end. The line is expected to reach Sector V by 2025.
The proposed outlay for the Joka-Esplanade corridor (Purple Line) is ₹1,208.61 crore, up from the revised outlay of ₹850 crore in 2023-24. The 15km corridor is now functional between Joka and Majerhat (a little over 7km).
The corridor goes underground in Mominpore. The four underground stations are Kidderpore, Victoria, Park Street and Esplanade.
Slices of the Maidan have already been cordoned off for the construction of the last three stations. The construction of the diaphragm wall of a shaft to launch the tunnel-boring machines to build the underground section of the corridor started in Kidderpore late last month.
The thorn in this corridor is over BC Roy Market — Bidhan Market to many — at the proposed Esplanade station. A proposal to temporarily shift the market to a plot south of Shaheed Minar has gained momentum with the state government, police and the defence ministry agreeing to work together.
In March this year, the defence ministry refused permission to shift the market to an upcoming complex above the Esplanade station on the East-West Metro line (Green Line), leaving the Joka-Esplanade corridor in a new limbo.
The 17km Noapara-Barasat corridor (Yellow Line) has received a proposed outlay of ₹200 crore, compared with the revised outlay of ₹304.82 crore in 2023-24.
The first stretch between Noapara and Dum Dum Cantonment is likely to be operational by October. The tracks are elevated till Jessore Road and underground after that. By the end of this year, the line should reach the airport, said Metro officials.
But there is no clarity beyond that. The New Barrackpore-Barasat section of the proposed alignment of the corridor is dotted with tens of thousands of encroachers.
“The 16.5km East-West Metro corridor (Green Line) has received a budgetary allocation of ₹906 crore this time,” said an official of the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation, the implementing agency of the project.
“It is the same that was proposed in the interim budget in February this year,” he said.
In a press conference on Wednesday, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Bengal has been allocated ₹13,941 crore for railways in the current financial year.
