Calcutta, Dec. 31: Talks for a new railway terminal at Majerhat in Calcutta are on the tracks even if it takes six or seven years to be developed. But before that three to four platforms might be added at the Howrah station.

Basudeb Acharya, a member of the standing committee on railways, indicated as much after a meeting with chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and outgoing South Eastern Railway general manager V.. Garg today.

“The number of passengers is increasing every day. It will be difficult to disburse passengers through Howrah bridge the way the number of passengers is increasing and is likely to grow in the coming 20 years. So we are looking at the possibility of directly routing passengers to Calcutta. It is important to have an extra terminal at Calcutta. A proposal to this effect was placed before the chief minister,” he said.

“The chief minister has shown interest in the project,” he added. Sources said officials zeroed in on Majerhat after railway minister Nitish Kumar apparently did not favour a terminal at Shalimar as it is located in a congested area and far away from the city.

A committee is expected to be formed by the government to look into the proposal’s viability.

“Bengal is deprived of funds for railways compared to other states. We hope the Centre will approve the present proposal so that people can come to Calcutta directly without using the Howrah bridge. However, even after the proposal is sanctioned, it will take at least six to seven years to be completed. As an immediate solution, about three to four platforms can be made at Howrah,” Acharya added.