Metro authorities in Kolkata have urged KMDA to release ₹20 crore as part of a cost-sharing deal for a crucial pedestrian underpass at Chingrighata, a move that could unlock stalled Metro construction and ease chronic congestion at the intersection.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the implementing agency of the New Garia–Airport Metro corridor, has formally requested the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) to deposit 50 percent of the estimated ₹40 crore cost of constructing the underpass. The financial proposal is in line with a prior agreement with the state government, under which RVNL and the state would equally share costs for supporting infrastructure needed for the Metro’s progress. However, the project faces twin hurdles: the ₹20 crore fund has not yet been sanctioned by KMDA, and a critical construction methodology plan—submitted by RVNL in 2022—still awaits final clearance. These bureaucratic delays are not only stalling the underpass construction but also jeopardising the completion timeline of the Orange Line’s Phase II, an 8-kilometre section from Ruby to Sector V.
A senior Metro official confirmed that while the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) approved the underpass’s basic design in April 2025, actual work cannot proceed without KMDA’s formal greenlight and financial backing. “We’re at a standstill. The last 366-metre viaduct section remains incomplete because police won’t allow traffic diversions for girder launching until the underpass is in place,” the official explained. The Chingrighata intersection, known for chaotic pedestrian and vehicular traffic, is considered one of Kolkata’s most dangerous junctions. To address this, the urban development department had planned a dual solution: a pedestrian underpass and a foot overbridge. While both structures were envisioned to enhance pedestrian safety and reduce congestion, only the underpass has seen incremental progress.
Designed as a three-armed subway connecting Canal South Road, Sukantanagar, and Jal Vayu Vihar, the underpass will be 3.5 metres wide and 2.5 metres deep, enabling safe passage beneath the high-traffic junction. It is seen as a vital component of the city’s broader strategy to encourage pedestrian-friendly, low-carbon urban mobility. Yet the delay in moving the project forward is threatening more than just deadlines—it risks undermining Kolkata’s efforts toward sustainable infrastructure. Transport policy experts have flagged the Chingrighata deadlock as symptomatic of a deeper governance malaise, where inter-agency coordination falls short despite clear public benefit.
“Every week of delay adds cost and congestion. But more importantly, it perpetuates unsafe road conditions and delays much-needed climate action through transit-oriented infrastructure,” said a transport researcher from a local urban think tank. According to them, the opportunity cost of not building this underpass on time is immense—both in terms of lives endangered and emissions prolonged. The Orange Line’s June 2025 deadline is now in doubt. Without the completion of the Chingrighata viaduct, trains cannot run between Ruby and Sector V, leaving a significant commuter catchment area unserved. This gap not only affects daily ridership projections but also sends a worrying signal to investors and citizens about the city’s infrastructure readiness.
RVNL has indicated willingness to proceed with the underpass, as per state directives, but requires formal financial and technical approvals to do so. A source close to the project noted that preparatory groundwork could be lost if approvals are delayed further, leading to a longer wait and higher construction costs due to inflation and logistical resets. On a broader level, the delay illustrates how large-scale infrastructure projects in Indian cities often fall prey to fragmented jurisdiction, unclear mandates, and risk-averse decision-making. While the need for due diligence is important, experts argue that long-term projects such as Metro lines should be protected from inter-departmental bottlenecks through a more empowered, centralised planning mechanism.
In the case of the Chingrighata underpass, the consequences are tangible. Commuters are left to battle daily traffic snarls and unsafe road crossings. Construction workers remain underutilised while machinery lies idle. And a project meant to usher in a greener, more accessible future for Kolkata’s eastern corridor remains caught in administrative limbo. Unless KMDA acts swiftly to release funds and sign off on the construction method, RVNL will be unable to make headway. The Chingrighata underpass is not just about moving people under a road; it’s about moving the city forward—toward a model of governance that aligns infrastructure ambition with execution, and sustainability with urgency.
For a city grappling with rising traffic, air pollution, and climate vulnerability, the fate of this single junction could well define Kolkata’s larger mobility future.
Also Read : Chennai Metro Construction Delays Spark Flooding Fears
