KOLKATA : The delay in finalizing the design of Majerhat bridge is holding back the full-fledged resumption of construction of elevated Majerhat Metro station, which runs parallel to the bridge. Though the state government has principally agreed to contract the width of the bridge so that Metro station work does not get hampered anyway, RVNL is waiting for the clearance that is possible only after the finalization of new bridge design. Construction of the Metro station was stopped on September 6 — two days after the collapse of the bridge on September 4.Not only this, there are a few other hurdles that need to be resolved to bring the Metro work back on track. In front of Alipore Mint, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation ( KMC ) will be constructing a box drain to divert the existing drain on which the Metro piers would come up.The depot is another issue. Recently, RVNL bagged physical possession of 78% of 24.5 hectares of depot land. The depot, which is the most crucial for even truncated services along its elevated stretch from Joka to Majerhat, will require at least three years for completion.RVNL also wants removal of impediments at the construction sites of Behala Bazar and Behala Chowrasta stations, which have been encroached by hawkers. “The delay because of these factors has long-term impact. It also hits allocation and further goahead needed to start the second phase of the project,” said another officer, However, coordination between Kolkata Metro, Bengal government and RVNL has resolved a lot of issues, including the possession of depot land. At one point of time, the problems, mostly land issues, appeared insurmountable. But under the instruction of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the state government took very proactive role to resolve these issues. “Hopefully, these smaller issues will also be resolved in due course of time,” said a senior RVNL officer.Acquisition of land has been a major hurdle in Bengal ever since Singur and Nandigram movement paved the way for change in the political regime. That’s why Bengal government had come forward, replenishing Rs 16 crore as viability gap funding against RVNL’s offer of Rs 1.1 lakh per cottah to farmers. The state is, however, persuading some big land holders to part with their plots for smoother facilitation of depot construction.Times ViewThe roadblocks need to go as soon as possible. More than a million people are hoping for a seamless execution and commissioning of this project.

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