Calcutta HC intervenes in the Chingrighata metro work standoff, calls for meeting to resolve issues

The complexity surrounding the Chingrighata Metro expansion project continues to stall its progress, prompting the Calcutta High Court to intervene decisively. The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujay Pal and Justice Parthasarathi Sen has instructed the State Government, Metro Rail Corporation, and all other relevant parties to immediately hold a joint meeting to resolve the outstanding issues and clear the way for the project's pending work. The State has been directed to submit the name of its representative by Friday.

The High Court will coordinate the time, date, and location of this crucial meeting, pending the consent of all involved parties. This judicial intervention stems from a long-pending Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a local resident regarding the numerous problems faced by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) in executing the extension work in the Chingrighata area. Earlier, the Court had summoned the State's Advocate General (AG), Kishore Datta, to understand how the deadlock could be broken.

During Monday's hearing, AG Kishore Datta had argued that blocking the designated area for construction would severely disrupt the movement of essential services like ambulances. However, the bench expressed dissatisfaction with this explanation. The judge commented sharply, "The problem you are mentioning today can happen at any time. When the work starts, such inconvenience will exist. Does that mean such a big project will stop?" The court refused to hear any new excuses and mandated the State to provide a fresh timeline by Thursday, emphasizing the need for swift, effective steps to realize the project.