KMRCL starts cheque distribution
Kolkata: The process of handing over of cheques to residents whose houses were damaged due to the East-West Metro construction work started on Saturday. The beneficiaries thanked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was the first to propose compensation for the residents which was later agreed by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL), the executing agency of the project.
"We are thankful to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and KMRCL," said Sonali Sil, resident of 13A Durga Pituri Lane, a beneficiary.
While a list of 86 families has been prepared by the KMRCL for the distribution of Rs 5 lakh cheques to residents, 19 families have received the cheques at KMRCL office on Saturday. "We are trying to disburse the amount directly to the bank accounts of the rest of the beneficiaries from Monday," a senior KMRCL official said. However, the KMRCL has formed a Human Interface group to prepare a building-wise head count of the people. This apart, the number of beneficiaries' list will increase as the residents are still registering their names to avail the compensation at the control room set up at Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration. Based on the details submitted by the residents, the KMRCL has prepared the list of 86 people eligible to get the compensation.
"I am concerned about my factory that is now under the debris at 13A Durga Pituri Lane. I don't know what to do and how to start my business again," said Jayanta Sil, a resident of Durga Pithuri Lane.
Meanwhile, fear of further damage to some more houses at Gour Dey Lane loomed large.
On Friday, residents of four houses at Gour Dey Lane were asked to vacate their premises at 6.30 pm. They didn't agree to relocate and demanded that the KMRCL should give them in writing as to where would they be put up and for how long.
"We will not move out of our house. We will shift only after the KMRCL gives us in writing how long do we have to stay away from our house," said Somnath Banerjee of 2B Gour Dey Lane.
On Friday at around 10.30 pm, the KMRCL again urged the residents of four houses at Gour Dey Lane to vacate their homes. Of these four, one has already been vacated while the other three have refused to move out.
