Cabinet approves to complete Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor Project by 2021 for Rs 8,575 crores

 Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said the Cabinet has approved to complete the Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor Project at a cost of Rs 8,575 crores by December 2021.

Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting today, he said this will give a boost to the mass transit system.

"12 years ago, Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor Project worth Rs 4,000 crores was approved. But unfortunately, the state government was unable to provide help in land acquisition. The project was not completed. In 2015, PM Modi started the work of alignment again. For the new alignment, the Cabinet today gave the approval to complete the East-West Metro Corridor Project at the cost of Rs 8,575 crores," Goyal said.

"The Cabinet today gave the approval to complete the East-West Metro Corridor Project at the cost of Rs 8,575 crores. This will give a boost to the mass transit system. The 16.6 km long project will be completed by December 2021," he added.

According to the Central government, the total route length of the East-West Metro Corridor Project is 16.6 km consisting of 12 stations that will ease traffic congestion, enhance urban connectivity and provide a cleaner mobility solution to lakhs of daily commuters.

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 Central Public Sector Entreprises under the Ministry of Railways, set up as a special purpose vehicle.

The government said the project includes immense technological challenges like tunnel below river Ganges, which is the first 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 east through a safe, accessible and comfortable mode of public transport.

"Since this corridor connects three most important parts of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, that is, Howrah, Business area of Kolkata and New Settlements in Salt Lake it is going to revolutionise 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," read the government release.

It will integrate multiple modes of transport like the Metro, Sub-urban Railways, ferry, and bus transport by constructing interchange hubs.