West Bengal government asks Kolkata Metro to pay compensation to Bowbazar victims

 West Bengal government asks Kolkata Metro to pay compensation to Bowbazar victims

The incidents have delayed the East-West Metro project, which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah via Kolkata.

On August 31, 2019, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) had hit an aquifer, causing severe subsidence and collapse of several buildings.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said on Saturday that the West Bengal government has asked the Kolkata Metro to pay compensation to the families whose houses have cracked due to the construction work on the East-West corridor, each within a month. Compensation of ₹ 5 lakh should be given.

Affected shop owners in the area will also be compensated for the loss of livelihood based on a formula received from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) - ₹1.5 lakh up to 100 sq ft and ₹5 lakh if ​​it exceeds 100 sq ft. Told.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat Nabanna.

Besides Hakim, the meeting was attended by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, Home Minister GP Gopalika, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, KMC Commissioner Binod Kumar and senior officials of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) and experts from Jadavpur University. ,

At least 12 houses in Madan Dutta Lane have developed cracks since Friday morning after water entered a metro tunnel in Madan Dutta Lane during work, the third such incident in three years.

After visiting the spot along with Dwivedi and other senior officials, Hakim said camps would be set up in the area from Sunday to pay compensation to the affected families.

“These cracks are the result of soil settlement,” he said, adding that experts were asked for testing so that KMRCL can repair or rebuild the affected buildings.

"Immediate arrangements should be made to shift the affected families to safer places. Special care will be taken in case of students, patients and vulnerable persons," he said.

The mayor said that KMRCL was asked to give prior intimation to the police and civil authorities before resuming work.

A state government official said that a total of 180 people from 28 families have been affected by the disaster.

Madan Datta Lane, this time hit by the disaster, is located a few meters from Durga Pituri Lane, where several buildings exploded in August 2019 and in May this year, some collapsed due to subsidence.

The incidents have delayed the East-West Metro project which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah via Kolkata.

On 31 August 2019, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) collided with an aquifer, causing severe subsidence and collapse of several buildings. In May this year, at least three houses were damaged by re-sumption due to water infiltration.

The East-West Metro operated by Indian Railways is currently running between Sector V in Salt Lake and Sealdah in Calcutta.

Of the 16.6 km long line, the underground corridor is 10.8 km between Howrah Maidan and Phoolbagan, with the tunnel passing under the Hooghly River, while the rest is elevated.