Fourteen shop owners of cave-in zone at Durga Pithuri Lane were handed over compensation cheques of Rs 1 lakh each by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) today.
The traders’ business had been adversely impacted due to the subsidence during the ongoing Metro work of the East-West Metro corridor at Bowbazar on 11 May. Following the recent subsidence, about 87 residents had to be evacuated and shifted to city hotels in the wee hours after around nine buildings witnessed fresh cracks. Cracks had appeared in nine structures due to the ingress of water in the tunnel from 11 different points in the last leg of the East-West Metro.
Of the several shop owners and residents that had to bear the brunt of the cracks and crevices, the implementing agency of the project, the KMRCL handed over cheques of Rs 1 lakh each to the traders. The compensation amount, however, was given only to those who owned a shop of up to 100 square feet. The KMRCL is said to have received more applications for compensation which are to be verified before being processed. “Of the total applications, today we are handing over the compensation cheques to 14 traders who had shops up to 100 square feet. The remaining applications we haven’t been able to complete the verification process. They would also be given compensation after the completion of the process,” informed general manager, administration of KMRCL, AK Nandy.
Welcoming the move, local MLA, Nayna Bandyopadhyay, who was also present on the occasion, said, “The traders whose shops were closed since the last few months are being paid compensation by the KMRCL. This is a good gesture.”