Kolkata, April 15 -- Repair and strengthening works worth Rs 82 crore have been sanctioned for Kolkata Metro infrastructure, even as around 20 km of work across ongoing corridors remains affected by land acquisition, encroachment and utility shifting issues.
Replying to an unstarred question by Trinamool Congress MP Mala Roy in the Lok Sabha, Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said all tracks, bridges, tunnels and associated structures are monitored through regular and periodic inspections as per prescribed schedules.
The monitoring mechanism includes daily patrolling, on-foot and trolley inspections, along with scheduled reviews by officials. Technical assessments are carried out through agencies such as RITES Ltd, with repair and rehabilitation undertaken based on findings.
Work is under way on four Metro corridors spanning about 52 km. Around 20 km is affected by land acquisition and utility constraints, while the remaining stretches are progressing.
On the Noapara-Barasat corridor, the New Barrackpore-Barasat section is held up due to land acquisition of about 23,000 sqm and removal of encroachments involving 1,277 hutments and 764 shops.
For the Joka-Esplanade corridor, the Joka-Majerhat stretch has been commissioned, while work on the remaining section continues alongside land transfer and utility shifting. At Khidderpur, land approval from the state government was received in July 2025. At Esplanade, shifting of 528 unauthorised shops at Dr B C Roy Market remains pending, slowing station work.
On the New Garia-Airport corridor, the New Garia-Belaghata stretch has been commissioned, while work on the Belaghata-Airport section is in progress. At Chingrighata, temporary traffic diversion is required for launching viaduct segments.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.