The New Garia-Airport Metro project will not have to deviate from its original alignment in Salt Lake's Mahishbathan as the state government has decided that the eight buildings that stand in its way would be demolished.

At a meeting on Wednesday attended by urban development minister Firhad Hakim, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation mayor Sabyasachi Dutta and railway officials, among others, it was decided that the New Garia-Metro tracks would be laid according to the original alignment.

Work on the 400m stretch at the gateway to New Town has been stuck for almost five years since the Rs 3,951-crore project started in January 2012. In December last year, minister Hakim had proposed an alternative alignment after an inspection.

"But a survey conducted by consultant agency Rites revealed that the original alignment was the best possible route. More people would be inconvenienced if the route is realigned," a state government official present at Thursday's meeting said.

It was decided that Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the implementing agency of the Metro project, would set up signboards within a few days announcing resumption of work.

Sources said RVNL had been asked to move men and machineries to the spot. The district magistrate of North 24-Parganas, who was present at the meeting, has been asked to prepare a detailed report about the legal status of these buildings. Based on the report, the authorities would decide how to remove the hurdles.

"Metro engineers told us that the original alignment was the only one following which the tracks can be laid. Otherwise the project would have to be stalled. We don't want Metro to be stalled," said mayor Sabyasachi Dutta.

He said among the buildings was a primary school which would be shifted to a vested land. "There are two or three single-storeyed buildings which are rented out as guest houses. Also a couple of buildings are there which are mostly rented out," Dutta said.

The eight buildings weren't there when contracts for the projects were awarded to infrastructure companies in October 2011.

Railway officials said construction started after the proposed Metro route was notified and a few of the buildings came up within a year.

The other structures followed and the prospect of a Metro link in the vicinity resulted in a steep rise in land prices in the area.

A state government official said the owners of the buildings had taken permission for construction from adjoining panchayats though the plots on which they stand are owned by the urban development and other government departments.

The construction of the viaduct from New Garia to Airport was supposed to be completed in 30 months. The project has overshot the deadline by 30 months and yet work is nowhere near complete.