A renovated subway that promises to improve vehicular and pedestrian flow outside Sealdah station has remained shut for over three months while a construction agency and police blame each other for the impasse.

The police have been saying that the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has not yet finished work. The CMDA has rubbished the allegation.

The subway, linking NRS Medical College and Hospital to the Sealdah court, has been renovated after a long time and its outside walls have been painted in blue and white. The renovation was undertaken after the subway remained unfit for use for around five years, when it lacked lights and was almost always submerged in waist-deep water.

"Work started a year ago and ended in November, after which the keys to the subway were handed over to the police," a CMDA engineer said.

An officer of the local Entally police station, however, said they were not impressed with the CMDA's work. "We inspected the subway after the keys were handed over to us and found the illumination poor. Besides, one of the pumps was not working. So if it rains, water coming down from the road will flood the subway again. Unless we are sure that the subway is cent percent safe, we cannot allow it to be opened," the officer said.

The police have been claiming that they have highlighted the problem points in a letter to the CMDA. But the engineer denied having received any such letter.

Once pedestrians start using the subway again, the police say, snarls on the road leading to Sealdah station from the flyover will reduce considerably. It now takes as long as 15 minutes for a car to come out of the station premises and hit the flyover. Going by the distance, it should not take more than five-seven minutes.

"The space for vehicles in the station area has shrunk because of East-West Metro work. Add to that the pedestrian flow on the road. There is hardly any space left for vehicles," an officer of the traffic police said.

"There will be some relief for cars once pedestrians are routed through the subway.... Pedestrians will benefit, too, as they will no longer have to walk down the roads that have been dug up and barricaded because of East-West Metro work."

The traffic police have also chalked out a plan to allow cars on the concrete road under the flyover once the subway is opened. "That will further reduce the snarl on the station premises," the officer said.

Daily sufferers are, however, keeping their fingers crossed on when that will happen. During a recent visit to the site, Metro saw a makeshift eatery in front of the NRS gate of the subway and a bunch of youths playing carom at the other end.