L&T Withdraws from Kolkata Metro's Esplanade Station Amid Land Dispute
In a significant setback for Kolkata's metro expansion, engineering giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has backed out of constructing the Esplanade station on the Purple Line, citing uncertainty over project timelines. This decision stems from an ongoing impasse with traders at BC Roy Market, who are refusing to vacate the land required for the station, despite efforts by authorities.
Land Acquisition Hurdles Delay Critical Infrastructure
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), which is implementing the 14-kilometer Joka-Esplanade corridor, known as the Purple Line, will now have to invite fresh tenders for the Esplanade station. RVNL has been struggling for the past five years to free up the necessary land for this terminal station. Although the agency built modern temporary stalls at the vacated Mounted Police Paddock in Esplanade to relocate the market traders, the BC Roy Market occupants remain steadfast in their refusal to move.
The traders' resistance persists even after a meeting with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters. They are demanding a written undertaking from the Army, which is the custodian of the Maidan area where the market is located. Conversely, the defence ministry considers the market illegal, adding a layer of bureaucratic complexity to the dispute.
Project Timeline and Construction Details
The Esplanade station box, measuring 300 meters by 40 meters, is planned for the exact site of the dilapidated BC Roy Market. Initially, traders had agreed to RVNL's proposal to temporarily relocate to the new stalls and be reinstated atop the completed station once construction concluded. Construction was slated to begin in 2023 with a three-year deadline. Last month, the Esplanade bus depot was shifted to Curzon Park to make way for the station, but the primary land for the station box remains unavailable.
Sources indicate that L&T has formally communicated to RVNL its lack of interest in proceeding with the Esplanade station due to these delays. In June 2023, L&T secured the contract for the 5.05-kilometer underground civil construction between Mominpur and Esplanade, valued at Rs 2,571.2 crore, with bids invited in July 2022. This northern section includes four underground stations: Kidderpore, Victoria, Park Street, and Esplanade.
Ongoing Work and Future Plans
Despite withdrawing from the Esplanade station, L&T will continue its work on the other stations in this segment. The company has deployed tunnel boring machines (TBMs) named Durga and Divya, which are currently digging from a shaft at St Thomas' Boys School in Kidderpore towards Victoria station. From there, the TBMs will be relaunched to burrow towards Park Street.
- For the tunnels between Park Street and Esplanade, the cut-and-cover method will be used instead of TBMs, due to the land issues.
- RVNL's re-tendering process for the Esplanade station is expected to commence soon, but further delays are anticipated until the land dispute is resolved.
- The Purple Line project is crucial for enhancing Kolkata's public transportation network, connecting Joka to Esplanade with improved metro services.
This development highlights the challenges in urban infrastructure projects, where land acquisition and local disputes can significantly impact timelines and contractor commitments. The resolution of the BC Roy Market issue is now pivotal for the advancement of the Purple Line and the broader metro expansion in Kolkata.
