Orange Line: Traffic curb nod for final viaduct work at Metropolitan
Times of India | 3 November 2024
123 Kolkata: Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) has finally been given the crucial traffic NOC for girder-launching to fill the Orange Line's last 25m viaduct at EM Bypass's Metropolitan crossing. Traffic on Saturday was being diverted along the road widened by RVNL on either side of this stretch, a few metres from Metropolitan crossing. This has facilitated pre-girder-launching work to join piers 294 and 295.
TOI on Oct 22 wrote about "RVNL plea for day-night traffic block at Metropolitan". RVNL, which is implementing the 29km New Garia-Airport corridor, also called the city's Orange Line, was seeking this traffic block for the last two months, intending to complete the final girder-launching work at Bypass's Metropolitan. The agency was keen to get the work done before the pujas.
However, Kolkata Police's traffic department was holding back the site on the same pretext — they didn't want any barricading on the Bypass during the pujas when the traffic clogs the roads. Now that the festive season is over, the block has been granted and the Metro work has begun.
When the last 25m span of the entire 125m gap at Metropolitan is bridged, RVNL will heave a sigh of relief and proceed towards Chingrighata. The hurdle at Metropolitan has been a major headache for the railway PSU implementing the project. RVNL is desperate to open an 8km extension till Sector V, where the Orange Line will meet the Green Line or the East-West Metro. The Orange Line currently runs 5.4km from New Garia to Ruby. It has an interface with the North-South or the Blue Line at New Garia. Meanwhile, the 4km extension from Ruby to Metropolitan has the mandatory safety clearance for commercial operations from the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS). However, the authorities want to add another 4km till Sector V before launching the Orange Line's Phase II.
RVNL was seeking the site over the last six years to bridge the 125m gaping discontinuity at Metropolitan, from the Metro station (officially called Beleghata). It was given traffic blocks in two phases last year. On June 13, another important block — to complete portal piers 288 and 289 — was given for three months. RVNL completed the work in two months, hoping to get the next traffic blocks soon afterwards.
Meanwhile, since June 13, traffic cops allowed RVNL to launch girders atop the piers at night. Girders are a combination of plate and box made of steel or concrete needed for supporting the deck or the viaduct, on which Metro tracks will be laid.