E-W Metro: HC gives permission to move tunnel-boring machine up to 5 metres
KMRCL to court: Machine remained at site since house collapse incident, its movement would help to keep it functional
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday allowed shifting of the second tunnel-boring machine by five metres under Bowbazar. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) had moved the high court seeking its permission to move the machine for maintenance work.
The court had, in September, ordered suspension of the tunnelling work for the East-West Metro corridor, following the Bowbazar house collapse incident.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee directed the KMRCL to work in accordance with the recommendations of an expert committee on shifting of the boring machine.
The bench directed the KMRC to submit a report on completion of the work by December 16, when the matter will be taken up for hearing again. The four-member technical committee of KMRCL on November 15 had submitted a report on the feasibility of moving a tunnel-boring machine at Bowbazar.
The committee, comprising experts from various countries, said in the report that the shifting of the tunnel-boring machine by up to five metres was necessary for maintenance work and would be done under its supervision.
"The committee members are of the unanimous opinion that the shifting of the machine by about five metres will not result in soil subsidence and as such not affect life or property above the ground over the distance over which the machine is proposed to be shifted," the report said.
The KMRCL, which is executing the East-West Metro project in the city, had told the high court on November 8 that the boring machine was at the site since the accident on August 31 and moving it by five metres was necessary to ensure that it remained functional.
The committee has proposed that the ground around the boring machine be sealed with polyurethane grout and work be carried out under the supervision and in the presence of its chairman, Leonard John Endicott, a geotechnical expert from Hong Kong.
The decision has been taken in the wake of the 31 August disaster, which took place during drilling operations leading to collapse of five houses and 55 houses were damaged.
More than 600 families were shifted to hotels by KMRCL, the implementing agency of East West metro project.
On September 3, the Calcutta High Court ordered immediate stoppage of the ongoing tunnel boring work undertaken for the East West metro in Bowbazar area after a petition was filed by an NGO.
The court had asked KMRCL authorities to submit a detailed report within two weeks."We are grateful to the court's decision," said an official of the KMRCL.
While two machines were deployed to dig two parallel tunnels for the underground East West Metro line, the KMRCL pointed out that the second boring required to be moved by five metres (presently four metres) to ensure it remains functional.
It may be mentioned here that the KMRCL had provided Rs five lakh to each affected family. It would get the damaged structures rebuilt and also provide alternative accommodation for the affected families until their houses are reconstructed.
However, the date of inauguration of first phase of East-West Metro is yet to be finalised.
The first phase of the East-West Metro stretch is five kilometres between Salt Lake Sector V and Salt Lake Stadium. It includes Salt Lake Sector V station, Karunamoyee station, Central Park station, City Centre station, Bengal Chemical station and Salt Lake Stadium station.
