The Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), the agency in charge of implementing the New Garia-Airport Metro line, has created an open channel at a side of the canal to allow smoother passage of water through the Eastern Drainage Canal that flows by Salt Lake Bypass. The agency took the step after receiving a letter about a fortnight ago from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), seeking the removal of the obstructions in the canal. The civic body needs its drainage infrastructure to work at its optimum efficiency in the light of the heavy showers lashing the city this monsoon.

“If there is a drainage emergency even after this, we may cut another channel on the other side too. But for now, this should suffice. We have communicated our step to KMC,” said a railways official.

The flow of the canal, into which the stormwater drainage channels from Sector III drain out, have been partially impeded since 2022 when a cofferdam was created across the canal to facilitate work on the Metro tracks. A pier (no. 320) was erected in the bed of the canal but Metro Rail officials say, the cofferdam would have to stay in place till the piers are connected overhead. Pier no 317 stands ready with the launching girder but RVNL has failed to connect the subsequent piers for the route veering from the Chingrihata crossing towards Sector V.

“Three piers still need to be joined. We need permission from the traffic police for night block of the Bypass, say from 11pm to 7am, Friday to Sunday. It would take a week to connect each pair of the piers. This 366m gap in the viaduct at the Chingrihata crossing is stalling work. We had written to the state government for permission in January. It is only after launching the girders can we start work on laying the track and the wires for electric connection, signal connection etc. which have to be done from station to station,” said the official.

RVNL is ready with a diversion road that can be used during the night block of traffic. The road veers from the Bypass into the Captain bheri extension to the left of the Bypass for Salt Lake-bound traffic, from in front of NX Hotel. “We had to acquire two private properties on the bank of the bheri, parts of which had to be shaved off to create the diversion through Majherpara at the Chingrihata crossing.”

When the work on the superstructure will happen, the channel now cut in the cofferdam will have to be filled up again with soil for smooth movement of machines that will haul up the precast girders atop the canal.

“By now, the Orange Line should have been functional till Sector V,” the rail official lamented. The Metro currently operates on the line from Kavi Subhas (Patuli) to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Hospital crossing), five days a week, 8am to 8pm. The passenger load is reportedly “dismal”.

“Our work is done till Beleghata station. An inspection will take place soon for that phase,” he said.