The Noapara- Barasat Metro via Bimanbandar Metro extension project has achieved significant development and has picked up pace during the lockdown period.
According to sources, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) crossed a milestone on 11 August by completing the construction of the roof clab casting of Bimanbandar Metro station.
The concreting work of 1481.5 cubic metres was done with the involvement of 48 engineers along with others who worked in two shifts to be able to complete the task on time.
During lockdown period, approximately 2000 MT of steel and 10,000 cubic metre of concrete were consumed for construction of the metro in this route, sources in Metro Rail Kolkata informed.
Notably, the Noapara- Barasat Line is over 16 km long metro route, which is being built by RVNL.
The work remained halted for few years owing to land hurdles. <In the original plan, the stretch till New Barrackpore was supposed to be elevated which was later changed into underground following objections from the Airport Authority of India.
The metro corridor on the northern fringes of the city had received a budgetary allocation of Rs 200 crore for the current fiscal of 2020-21.
In the first phase of seven kms stretch, the work involved the construction of a viaduct and underground tunnel work of Bimanbandar Station (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport).
After resumption of project work, RVNL has been following strict covid guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Site offices, labour camps and site premises are being sanitized on a regular basis along with health monitoring of workers who were provided with face masks, hand sanitizers, soaps and hygiene equipments.