Metro corridor closes in on heritage structures in Kolkata

182-year-old Currency Building, St. Andrews Church, Writers Buildings & Raj Bhavan fall close to the metro route.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has expressed its concern over the proposed route of the much-awaited East-West Metro corridor — a metro station is proposed to be built very near the Currency Building, a 182-year-old protected monument.

In a letter to the transport department, government of West Bengal, the regional director (eastern circle) of ASI, P.K. Mishra, wrote: “The metro station will be built in the prohibited area of the Currency Building which requires sanction from the National Monuments Authority.”

The letter, written earlier this year, also points out that the construction of the station as well as the vibrations from the running of trains will adversely affect the building.

A study of the detailed project report (DPR) of the metro project points out that the left side of Mahakaran station is 31-35 metres from the Currency Building. As per existing rules, construction and mining operations are prohibited within 100 metres of protected monuments.

Vital project

The East-West Metro corridor is one of the most important infrastructure projects pending in the State for many years. Earlier this year, a fresh route was drawn up for the metro lineafter the Trinamool Congress government failed to acquire the necessary land owing to residents’ opposition.

Apart from the Currency building, many heritage buildings in and around the region that stand dangerously close to the metro alignment. This includes St Andrews Church (11 metres from the metro alignment), Writers Buildings (24- 23 metres), and Raj Bhavan (about 8 metres to the right side of the metro alignment). A closer look at the DPR reveals that 7 metres of the historical Lal Dighi pond would be required to construct a metro station.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, whose approval is required to go ahead with the project, is silent on the issue of heritage buildings.

When contacted, H.K. Sharma, project director of Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited, the implementing agency of the project, said he would not comment on the Currency Building issue.