Advertisement
When should a housing society in Mumbai start considering re...
From GST on JDAs to SEBI’s REIT reclassification and the S...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
The Supreme Court has criticised the West Bengal government for delaying work on the Kolkata Metro's Orange Line, particularly at the Chingrighata crossing. The court refused to accept the state's request to defer construction, stating that infrastructure projects cannot be stalled due to administrative or political reasons. It directed continued monitoring by the Calcutta High Court to ensure progress. The delay has been linked to traffic management concerns and lack of coordination. The corridor is important for connecting south Kolkata with Salt Lake Sector V, a key commercial and IT hub.
The Supreme Court of India has raised concerns over delays in the Kolkata Metro project, pointing out that the West Bengal government's approach was slowing down a key public infrastructure development. The observations came during a hearing related to construction work on the Orange Line corridor. Advertisement
The issue centres around pending work at the Chingrighata crossing, a critical junction on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. This stretch is part of the corridor that aims to connect Kavi Subhash in south Kolkata to Salt Lake Sector V, which houses a large concentration of IT offices and commercial establishments.
The court did not agree with the state government's request to postpone construction activity. It noted that the reasons cited, including traffic congestion and administrative concerns, were not sufficient to hold back a project of public importance. The bench indicated that such delays reflect a lack of timely decision-making.
The state had argued that allowing construction at the junction would require traffic restrictions, which could affect daily commuters as well as emergency services. It also referred to the upcoming election period as a factor in seeking more time. However, the court made it clear that elections cannot be used as a reason to stop ongoing infrastructure work, especially when the project had already been underway.
During the hearing, the court also expressed that the situation suggested the project was being unnecessarily politicised. It emphasised that once a project is approved and initiated, all authorities are expected to cooperate in its execution rather than create obstacles.
Earlier directions from the Calcutta High Court had already asked the state to facilitate construction by providing clear timelines for traffic block arrangements at the crossing. Despite this, the work remained stalled due to coordination gaps between agencies involved in traffic management and project execution.
The Supreme Court has now asked the High Court to continue supervising the matter to ensure that the project moves forward without further delay. This step is expected to bring more accountability and regular monitoring to the process.
The Kolkata Metro expansion has seen multiple delays in the past due to land acquisition issues, dense urban conditions and coordination challenges. The Chingrighata stretch remains one of the most sensitive points because of heavy traffic movement, making execution more complex but also more important to complete on time.
Source PTI
FAQ
Q1: Why is the Kolkata Metro project facing delays?
The project is facing delays mainly due to issues at the Chingrighata crossing, including traffic management challenges and lack of coordination between state authorities and project agencies.
Q2: What did the Supreme Court of India say about the delay?
The court criticised the West Bengal government for slowing down the project and refused to accept its request to defer construction. It stated that infrastructure projects should not be stalled due to administrative or political reasons.
Q3: Which part of the metro project is most affected?
The delay is centred around the Chingrighata crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, which is a crucial section of the Orange Line corridor.
Q4: Why did the state government seek to postpone construction?
The state cited concerns such as traffic congestion, possible disruption to daily commuters and emergency services, and the upcoming election period as reasons for seeking more time.
Q5: What did the court say about elections affecting the project?
The court made it clear that elections cannot be used as a reason to stop or delay an ongoing infrastructure project, especially one of public importance.
Q6: What role will the Calcutta High Court play now?
The Supreme Court has directed the Calcutta High Court to continue monitoring the project to ensure that construction progresses without further delays and accountability is maintained.
Q7: Why is the Orange Line important for Kolkata?
The Orange Line is important as it will connect Kavi Subhash in south Kolkata to Salt Lake Sector V, a major IT and commercial hub, improving connectivity and reducing travel time for commuters.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
