L20 bus stand to shift to Curzon Park to make way for Purple Line's Esplanade station
Times of India | 21 November 2024
Kolkata: The L20 bus stand at Esplanade is likely to be shifted to Curzon Park, next to the East-West Metro station, to make room for the Purple Line's Esplanade station. The relocation may happen in the next one or two months, officials said.
A joint inspection by state agencies and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), tasked with building most of the city's Metro lines, was held on Monday. RVNL had long received the Army's nod for shifting the bus stand. However, the bus stand couldn't be shifted because West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) was frantically looking for a substitute in the CBD for parking the state buses. The Army is the custodian of the Maidan, through which around 3km of the 5km underground section of the 14km Purple Line passes.
On Monday, WBTC officials, along with those from Kolkata Police, KMC and Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC), the implementing agency of the East-West Metro (Green), zeroed in on Curzon Park — the part between Rani Rashmoni Avenue and the western access to East-West Metro's Esplanade station. The place was earlier used as East-West Metro's construction yard.
The Purple Line now runs 8km from Joka to Majerhat. It will finally terminate at Esplanade. RVNL has started construction of the Esplanade station at the Kolkata Police paddock. However, it can't proceed unless the 2,900 sqm area occupied by the L20 bus stand in the heart of Esplanade is shifted out soon. "Around 8,000 sqm area is available at Curzon Park for temporary relocation of the bus stand. WBTC will give its final approval to the site in the next few days," a Railways official said.
"After the station construction is over, RVNL will rebuild the bus stand at the existing Esplanade site. Even though the entire bus stand is supposed to be shifted out of CBD as per high court and apex court orders, RVNL will make the area fit for WBTC's use for whatever purpose it deems," the official said.
On Nov 15, TOI had reported that RVNL had finally received the Army's clearance to shift BC Roy Market. Much of the 300 m x 40 m Esplanade station box will come up on the land where the market now stands. As many as 528 traders will be shifted to the Kolkata Mounted Police grounds. RVNL can start the main station construction after razing the market and vacating the L20 bus stand area.
"The L20 route used to be extremely vibrant once upon a time. Why is WBTC making so much fuss about its new stand when most state buses have become invisible?" wondered Tapan Banerjee, secretary of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicates.