Mamata Banerjee visits people affected by Metro work

Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday visited the city's Bowbazar area where several buildings were partially damaged owing to tunnel boring work of the East West Metro and spoke to the affected residents. One house was paritally collapsed and cracks have appeared in several other buildings, Banerjee said adding that around 375 people have been affected.

The incident took place following seepage of water in the ground under the foundation of the houses on Sunday during construction work of the project that would connect Salt Lake in the East and Howrah station in the West. The chief minister said she has called a meeting on Tuesday with the Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation (KMRC) which is constructing the East West corridor.

"I appreciate that people were evacuated in time, preventing any loss of life or injury to anyone," Banerjee, a former Railway minister, said. The KMRC has said it will rebuild or repair the damaged buildings. Banerjee said the affected people had to leave their residences leaving their essential belongings and documents. "We (West Bengal government) will work together with the Metro Railway to provide relief to the affected people," she said. A senior KMRC official said that cracks have appeared in 18 buildings in the area, while one collapsed partially. He said 363 residents have been shifted to 10 hotels.

The East West Metro corridor passes through some of Kolkata's most congested areas where several century-old buildings are located and some of them are in a dilapidated condition. A PIL was also moved on Monday before the Calcutta High Court seeking an injunction on underground drilling for Metro tunnels in congested areas. A division bench headed by the Chief Justice is likely to take up the matter for hearing on Tuesday, lawyer for the petitioners Ritzu Ghosal said.

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