L&T Withdraws from Kolkata Metro's Esplanade Station Project Over Land Dispute Delays
In a significant setback for Kolkata's ambitious Purple Line metro corridor, engineering giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has officially backed out of building the crucial Esplanade station. The decision stems from persistent uncertainties over project timelines, primarily due to the refusal of BC Roy Market traders to vacate the land required for the station's construction.
Land Acquisition Stalemate Halts Progress
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the agency implementing the 14-kilometer Joka-Esplanade Purple Line corridor, now faces the challenge of inviting fresh tenders for the Esplanade station. This development comes after a five-year struggle by RVNL to secure the necessary land for the terminal station at Esplanade.
The core issue revolves around the BC Roy Market traders, who occupy the site where the 300-meter by 40-meter station box is planned. Despite RVNL constructing modern temporary stalls at the vacated Mounted Police Paddock at Esplanade and a meeting with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim at the KMC headquarters, the traders remain steadfast in their refusal to relocate.
Their demand for a written undertaking from the Army, as the custodian of the Maidan area, has not been met. Compounding the problem, the Defence Ministry considers the market illegal, further complicating resolution efforts.
Timeline Disruptions and Contractor Exit
Construction of the Esplanade station was originally slated to commence in 2023 with a three-year completion deadline. While progress was made last month with the shifting of the Esplanade bus depot to Curzon Park, the land for the main station box remains unavailable.
Sources confirm that L&T has formally communicated to RVNL its decision to withdraw from the Esplanade station component, citing the unresolved land issues and associated timeline uncertainties as primary reasons. However, L&T will continue its work on other sections of the Purple Line.
Purple Line Project Details and Ongoing Work
In June 2023, L&T secured the contract for the 5.05-kilometer underground civil construction between Mominpur and Esplanade, valued at approximately Rs 2,571.2 crore. This northern section includes four underground stations: Kidderpore, Victoria, Park Street, and Esplanade.
L&T remains committed to constructing the Victoria, Park Street, and Kidderpore stations, utilizing tunnel boring machines (TBMs) named Durga and Divya. These TBMs are currently operational from a shaft at St Thomas' Boys School in Kidderpore, advancing towards Victoria station. Subsequently, they will be relaunched to tunnel towards Park Street.
For the segment between Park Street and Esplanade, the cut-and-cover method will be employed instead of TBMs, pending resolution of the land acquisition impasse.
Historical Context and Future Implications
The traders had initially agreed to RVNL's proposal to temporarily move to the newly built stalls and be reinstated atop the completed Esplanade station once the Purple Line construction concluded. However, the current deadlock has not only delayed the station but also led to a major contractor's exit, potentially impacting overall project costs and schedules.
RVNL's efforts to expedite the corridor, which aims to enhance Kolkata's urban connectivity, now hinge on swiftly resolving the land dispute and securing a new contractor for the Esplanade station, ensuring the Purple Line's timely completion.
