Kolkata, Oct. 7 -- Seven years after the East-West Metro construction disaster shook Bowbazar and displaced scores of families, the affected neighbourhood is set for a fresh start as residents receive reconstructed homes, said former KMC local councillor Biiswaroop Dey.
Dey said a dozen families and four to five shop owners, forced to stay away, would return to their homes and businesses.
A programme is scheduled on Thursday at B B Ganguly Street junction, marking a milestone in the contentious rehabilitation process following the 2019 Metro tunnelling accident.
The disaster, caused by a water ingress during tunnelling, damaged or destroyed several buildings in the densely populated Bowbazar area, particularly around Durga Pituri Lane and Sakra Para Lane. The incident forced residents out of their homes and led to prolonged uncertainty over rehabilitation, reconstruction and compensation.
A Bhoomi Puja was held at the site on February 18, 2024, following which reconstruction work began. Thursday's event will be a handover programme, marking the return of residents to their newly constructed or reconstructed homes.
State Industries and Commerce minister Tapas Ray is scheduled to be the chief guest. A resident of the neighbourhood, Ray's own home was also affected.
The project was undertaken by KMRCL. For Bowbazar residents, the handover marks an attempt to close the painful chapter since the 2019 accident and balance Metro expansion with rehabilitation.
However, some residents remain unhappy, alleging that grouting work choked their sewers, forcing them to pay private operators to clear them. They said KMRCL has yet to reimburse the expenses.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.