Stop filling up Santragachi lake, civic body tells Rlys

Before, the municipal corporation had also raised an objection to South Eastern Railway’s plan to fill up the lake in order to increase the station area.

On Saturday, a team led by Howrah civic commissioner Nilanjan Chatterjee and member of mayor-in-council Shyamal Mitra reached the spot and asked South Eastern Railway officials to stop the work immediately. 

Meanwhile, the civic body wrote a letter to divisional railway manager of Kharagpur branch requesting him for talks. 

On the other hand, the municipal corporation has also lodged a complaint against South Eastern Railway at Jagacha police station.

Railway authorities have started the work since few months to make Santragachi station as one of the model terminals under South Eastern Railway. The authorities planned to fill up the lake so that they can link the railway station to the express highway. 

Mitra on Friday reached the spot after receiving  information that the South Eastern Railway had appointed labourers to fill up Santragachi lake, which is a very well-known spot in the area. 

Chatterjee said, “Ward number 46 and 47 will be flooded with water if they try to fill up the lake. During monsoon, the rain water flows into the lake. Filling up the water body will create a huge problem in the area. We will report this matter to High Court’s Green Bench.”

Chatterjee said, “The lake falls under Howrah Municipal Corporation. Local residents of the area will land in deep trouble if this plan becomes successful.” 

On the other hand, civil manager Manoj Kumar Mandal said before starting the work it was really necessary to consult the matter with civic authority.