The route of proposed East-West Metro to connect Salt Lake Sector five (in the east) to Howrah Maidan (in the west) may get changed to save green around Subhas Sarobor Lake in the eastern part of the city.
“If it is necessary to save the green around Subhas Sarobor Lake, the proposed East-West Metro route may get changed. Our chief minister has asked mayor Sovan Chatterjee and Urban development ministry to take necessary steps so that the green around Subhas Sarobor is not affected because of the project,” Sudip Bandyopadhyay, member of parliament from the North Kolkata constituency said after meeting chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday.
According to Bandyopadhyay, people of north Kolkata had a lot of grievances about the proposed route as it would destroy the green around the lake.
The proposed East-West Metro will cover 13 km, from Salt Lake to Howrah station including about 100 feet of the stretch between BBD Bag and Howrah stations under the Hooghly river.
The project is executed by Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited. While the state government and Union Urban Development Ministry is bearing 30 percent and 25 per cent cost, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is providing the rest of the fund.
However, according to the Kolkata Metro railway spokesperson, the Indian Railway in principles has agreed to take over the project from the the state government though the modalities for the take over has not been finalised yet.
