Calcutta HC directs Centre to file report on resuming East- West Metro work

Calcutta High Court Tuesday directed Centre to file an expert report on resuming work of East-West Metro corridor in city's Bowbazar area where an acquifer burst during tunnelling work caused huge land settlement leing to collapse of several buildings in August last year.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Rhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee directed Centre to submit a report by its experts after West Bengal government told court that its disaster manment department does t have expertise in such matter.

Centre was directed to submit its report on feasibility of resuming tunnelling work using tunnel boring machines at affected area in central Kolkata by February 7, when matter will be taken up for hearing again. high court h earlier asked state government to file a report by its experts on wher work can be resumed at site.

court was hearing a PIL seeking termination of underground drilling for metro tunnels in congested areas. PIL has also challenged provisions of Metro Railway (Construction of Works) Act, 1978.

Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were deployed to dig two parallel tunnels for underground East-West Metro, when accident in Bowbazar happened involving one of se on August 31, 2019. Several buildings in congested area collapsed or developed cracks, leaving hundreds homeless.

KMRC, which is executing East-West Metro project, has told court that work for 9.8 km of 10.9- km-long underground tunnel has been completed for corridor.

Tunnels have been bored under Hooghly river to connect twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah through rapid transit system, spanning a length of 16.6 km from Howrah Maidan to IT hub Sector V in Salt Lake.

new corridor passes through some of Kolkata's most-congested areas dotted by many century-old buildings, several of which are in a dilapidated condition.