Chingrighata underpass worry for Orange Line’s Sec V launch
Times of India | 16 February 2025
123 Kolkata: The extension of the Metro Orange Line services till Sector V where it will interface with the Green Line or East-West Metro is set to be stalled till construction on the three-way pedestrian underpass at the site gets underway. While Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) has clarified that this underpass, as per agreement, will be built only after the viaduct launching over Chingrighata is complete, Kolkata Traffic Police wants the plan to be approved and work to begin at the earliest.
RVNL and Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) had agreed to share the cost of the underpass construction. RVNL said it had submitted a revised plan two and a half years ago. But the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is yet to approve it. In a recent meeting with police, RVNL pleaded helplessness as the underpass's drawing approval was pending with KMC.
TOI had reported on Saturday that RVNL,the implementing agency of the 29km New Garia-Airport Orange Line, may miss the April deadline for Phase II because it is yet to get the NOC to bridge the final 360m of the 8km Ruby-Sector V section.
"We hope the KMC will expeditiously approve the general arrangement drawing (GAD) or the basic design of the underpass so that girder-launcher can move ahead and bridge the gap at Chingrighata," a Railways official said on Saturday. The original GAD had to be revised because KMDA wanted a cycle ramp incorporated in it. RVNL submitted the revised GAD and KMDA signed it on June 16, 2022. The GAD was sent for KMC's approval on Aug 17, 2022, an official said. KMC has now requested RVNL to resubmit the GAD because the earlier version has been misplaced. A KMC official told TOI, "The underpass' approval is being processed." Traffic department officials remained non-committal.
The primary hurdle is a road diversion that will require an additional lane to be constructed. KMDA said at the meeting that the DPR for the additional lane was ready for financial approval. Once it gets the nod, it will require one month to complete the road.
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