The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed that the long-pending Metro Railway construction work at the busy Chingrighata crossing be completed by 15 February 2026, expressing concern over delays caused by the lack of traffic block permission from police authorities.
A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul asked the state government to inform Metro Railway by 6 January about the three specific days on which traffic blocks would be allowed at the crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. The Metro authorities have maintained that the block is essential to complete the installation of overhead tracks at the junction.
The court order came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) highlighting delays in the Metro corridor connecting Kavi Subhash in south Kolkata with the IT hub at Salt Lake Sector V. According to the petitioners, most of the work on the corridor has already been completed, but construction at Chingrighata has remained stalled for a prolonged period due to disagreements over traffic management.
During the hearing, the bench noted that the project serves a large section of commuters travelling between south Kolkata and Sector V, one of the city’s busiest commercial zones. The judges observed that prolonged delays were affecting public interest and stressed the need for coordination among agencies to ensure timely completion.
The court directed the authorities to ensure that the required traffic block is facilitated so that Metro Railway can finish the overhead construction work within the stipulated deadline. It also made clear that the 15 February timeline must be adhered to, leaving little room for further extensions.
The Chingrighata crossing is a crucial node on the EM Bypass and any traffic restriction there has wide ripple effects. However, the court underlined that temporary inconvenience could not override the larger public benefit of completing the Metro link.