State, central officials to meet on Sep 9 to resolve Metro imbroglio at Chingrighata, HC told

Kolkata, Sep 4 (PTI) Representatives of state and central agencies will meet on September 9 to resolve the imbroglio over police clearance for the construction of the metro viaduct at the Chingrighata in Kolkata, the Calcutta High Court was informed on Thursday.

A division bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Simta Das De said it is expected that officers will participate in the meeting with a positive attitude in order to resolve the problem.

The HC had on Wednesday suggested that all stakeholders sit together to find a solution and asked them to put forward a date for holding the meeting.

The meeting will take place on September 9 at 2.30 pm at the Metro Rail Bhavan in Kolkata, the HC noted.

The HC directed all the officers, whose names were mentioned, to attend the meeting to resolve the problem.

"This court hopes and trusts that since experienced senior officers are participating in the said meeting, some solution in larger public interest will certainly come out," it observed.

Representatives of the Transport Department, Kolkata Police, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, State Urban Development Agency, Metro Railway and RVNL will participate in the meeting.

The completion of the viaduct will connect the Orange Line of the Kolkata Metro to the IT hub of Sector 5.

The HC directed that the PIL, which sought early resolution of the issue in public interest since operationalisation of the route will help lakhs of commuters, will be heard again on September 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated three metro sections in Kolkata on August 22, one of which was a part of the Kavi Subhash-Bimanbandar Orange Line.

The line is at present operational between the Kavi Subhash station in New Garia and Beleghata, just before the Chingrighata crossing.

The RVNL, which is implementing the project, has been awaiting police permission to construct a few hundred metres of viaduct over the busy Chingrighata intersection on EM Bypass for months, with the viaduct on the other side up to Sector 5 already complete. PTI AMR SOM