‘East-West Metro project will be completed within 2018’

The East-West Metro project, that will connect Howrah and Salt Lake from underneath Hooghly river, will be completed within next two-and-a-half-year, said the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on Friday.

He made the announcement while speaking at the Bengal Global Business Summit on Milan Mela ground. 

Prabhu said: “The glitches for the metro project have been ironed out and it has been put on the fast track for completion. I had a meeting with the concerned ministers and officials in this connection. Tunneling work for the project has been initiated. It is expected that the East-West Metro project will be completed in the time frame of another two and a half year.”

He said in major cities in the country, around 60 to 68 per cent carbon emission is due to traffic. Thus, Metro service is eco-friendly and it is always better as it reduces the pollution level. 

After the announcement of the Railway Minister about the completion of the East-West Metro project, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged him to take necessary steps for completion of other Metro projects including Joka-BBD Bag, Kavi Subhas to Airport via Rajarhat and Noapara-Baranagar-Dakshineswar. “It will boost up the economy of the region once the projects are completed,” she said. 

The Union minister assured to take every step in this regard. 

The Railway Minister also stressed on the improvement of the dedicated freight corridor as it will allow faster movement of goods and cargo. 

There was an investment of around Rs 19,000 crore for the same in the past six months and “the amount will be doubled” in the next six months. 

Steps have been taken to complete the project for infrastructure of the dedicated freight corridor within next three years. 

It will be of benefit if dedicated freight corridors are directly linked to ports.  

He said LED lights and solar lighting system will be used in Railways. “Steps have been taken to avoid environment hazards,” he said. 

Prabhu said West Bengal is a hub for railway operation as there were several coach manufacturing units and there was a demand for such units. 

“I have requested the Chief Minister and 17 other states to enter into a joint venture, in which other stake holders can be a part, for development of the railway stations,” he said, adding that investment for infrastructure development was required for an overall progress of the country and for a better future. 

The railways will act as a backbone for infrastructure development. Thus, investment in Railways is also required.