Govt approves proposal for construction of Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor

The project is being implemented by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited [KMRCL] which is a CPSE under the Ministry of Railways, set up as a special purpose vehicle.

Government has approved the Ministry of Railways’ proposal for a revised cost estimate for construction of the Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor Project at an estimated cost of  Rs. 8574.98  crore. The project envisages the construction of a Metro Corridor between Salt Lake Sector-V to Howrah Maidan in West Bengal for a total route length of 16.6 kms.

The project is being implemented by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited [KMRCL] which is a CPSE under the Ministry of Railways, set up as a special purpose vehicle. The pre-pandemic target for the completion of their project was December 2021. Efforts are being taken to minimize the impact of a pandemic on the completion of the project. The project includes immense technological challenges like tunnel below the river Ganges which is the 1st transportation tunnel in India under any major river as well as Howrah Station which is one of the deepest Metro stations in India.

The mega project envisions the creation of efficient transit connectivity between the business district of Kolkata with the industrial city of Howrah in the west and Salt Lake City in the east through a safe, accessible, and comfortable mode of public transport. Since this corridor connects the three most important parts of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area i.e. Howrah, Business area of Kolkata, and New Settlements in Salt Lake it is going to revolutionize the mass rapid transport in Kolkata and adjoining Howrah and Bidhanangar. This will connect important landmarks like Howrah, Sealdah, Esplanade, and Salt Lake Sector-V which is an IT hub.

It will integrate multiple modes of transport like the Metro, Sub-urban Railways, ferry, and bus transport by constructing interchange hubs. This will ensure a smooth and seamless mode of transport to lakhs of daily commuters.

Project Benefits:

•           Benefit to people by providing a safe, efficient, and environment-friendly transport system.

•           Reduction in commuting time.

•           Reduced fuel consumption.

•           Reduction in capex on road infrastructure

•           Reduction in pollution and accident

•           Enhanced Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

•           Increase in value of land bank in the corridor and generate additional revenue

•           Creation of jobs

      Ease traffic Kolkata and help in pollution control.

      Reduce commuting time.

(With Inputs from PIB)