New Garia: Uncertainty over the New-Garia-Airport Metro project prevailed for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday with workers staying away from the site of the proposed station even as railway officials held out hope for work resuming on Monday.

A senior official of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) said workers had nothing to fear now that police had promised to set up a picket at the site, where trouble had broken out last Wednesday over land acquisition for the project. Some of the workers were allegedly assaulted and threatened, leading to suspension of construction.

A railway security guard said on Sunday that a police patrol visited the site at least twice in the afternoon, but it was not enough to give the labourers and contractors confidence to resume work..

Arijit Sinha, the superintendent of police in Baruipur, said RVNL had been requested to provide basic infrastructure for a police picket. "We have received RVNL's request and have asked them to provide whatever is needed so that we can station some men there," Sinha told Metro.

The nearest police station has been instructed to keep regular vigil on the area till construction is completed. "We have already increased patrolling," Sinha said.

Workers deserted the site on Wednesday evening after some residents of the area turned up to protest against allegedly inadequate compensation for their land. Some of the workers were attacked.

Two residents of a slum adjacent to the site of the proposed station were arrested the next day after RVNL lodged a complaint with Sonarpur police station. The implementing agency for the project sought a police picket in the area to ensure the safety of its workers.

The two arrests and occasional visits by a police patrol have failed to convince any of the workers to return.

Samir Das, 32, said the people who allegedly assaulted him and his colleagues were residents of the area and they might come back to target them again. "We are scared. They beat us up for no fault of ours. The men live nearby, so they could be back any time," he said.

The police said investigations are underway to identify every face in the group that had attacked the workers.

An official at RVNL said a place would be provided to the police on Monday to store arms and ammunition and also for the personnel to rest. "We will also set up washrooms there. We want them to be at the site and prevent further hooliganism."