Kolkata: After years of impasse, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) have resumed talks to resolve civic infrastructure issues that have stalled the 12.5-km Baranagar–Barrackpore Metro corridor for nearly a decade.
On Friday, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said an initial-level meeting was held between KMC engineers and RVNL officials.
“We have flagged concerns about the underground water pipelines from the Palta water treatment plant to Tala Tank, and key drainage lines, which could be affected by the Metro construction,” Hakim said.
The project, sanctioned in 2009–10 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,069.6 crore, was conceived as an elevated metro line running along BT Road, with 11 stations connecting the densely populated northern suburbs to the city’s Metro network.
However, since around 2014–15, progress has stalled due to clashes with essential underground infrastructure.
At the heart of the issue are six major water pipelines — ranging from 42 inches to 72 inches in diameter — that run under B.T. Road and carry over 70% of the city’s drinking water from the Palta waterworks to the Tala reservoir.
The presence of these pipelines has made metro pier construction extremely difficult without risking disruption to the city’s water supply. KMC has now decided to hand over a detailed map of its underground infrastructure to RVNL, which in turn has agreed to share a revised metro alignment plan.
A proposal to shift the route via Kalyani Expressway was explored earlier but found unfeasible.
“Coordination between agencies is key. We want the metro, but not at the cost of civic lifelines,” Hakim said. Officials hope the renewed dialogue will help break the decade-long deadlock and move the project forward.