West Bengal: 10 houses develop cracks during East West Metro tunnel work

Kolkata: Reminding the three months ago nightmare, once again at least 140 people were removed from their residences after 10 buildings had developed cracks due to the underground metro works.

In the wee hours of Friday, suddenly people of Madan Dutt Lane at Bowbazar in central Kolkata saw cracks in their houses due to water seepage at the underground tunnel of East-West metro. The residents were immediately removed from the buildings to avoid further untoward incidents.

According to the general manager of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) AK Nandy, the residents were shifted to a nearby hotel and work to stop the water seepage has been undertaken.

A scuffle broke out in the area after metro officials visited the spot and scores of people who have been displaced didn’t allow the metro officials to enter the spot.

TMC MP Sudip Bandhopadhyay and the local councilor also visited the spot and the local councilor was seen getting into a verbal slugfest with the metro officials.

However, KMRC assured compensation to affected people within 15 days.

Several displaced people who came out with essential commodities were seen in tears as they didn’t know where to go and reside.

A woman who had lost her husband in less than a month claimed she doesn’t know where to go with her school going boy.

Laltu Bijli, who works in a gold shop said that during the festivities they had to stop work as the house got damaged and they were removed from the place.

BJP however once again maligned the state government for allegedly changing the route of the East-West metro tunnel.

Till the time of reporting, according to KMRC at least 300 more people will be evacuated from the area as there are chances that more houses will be affected due to water seepage in the tunnel.

Earlier this year in May following the leakage of underground water KMRC had to stop the underground tunnel work and leftover 160 people displaced.

It may be recalled that in 2019 several buildings had to be demolished after cracks and fissures developed due to the metro works.