The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday stepped in to break a long-standing logjam that has stalled a key metro rail link between Salt Lake’s Sector V and south Kolkata, directing authorities to complete the remaining construction by February 15, 2026.
A division bench led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul expressed concern over delays caused by the absence of traffic block permissions at the busy Chingrighata crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. The court ordered state authorities to inform Metro Railway by January 6 about the three specific days on which traffic restrictions would be allowed so that the final stretch of work can move forward.
The project involves the metro corridor connecting Kavi Subhash with Sector V, a crucial IT hub that sees heavy daily commuter traffic. While most of the line has already been completed, construction at Chingrighata has remained stuck for an extended period due to the unresolved issue of roadblocks needed to carry out work on the overhead metro tracks.
Taking note of a public interest litigation highlighting the prolonged impasse, the bench made it clear that the remaining construction must be wrapped up within the fixed timeline. The court directed that once traffic block days are communicated, the Metro Railway should proceed without delay to finish the overhead track work at the crossing.
The order is expected to provide clarity and momentum to a project seen as vital for easing traffic congestion and improving connectivity between Kolkata’s southern neighbourhoods and the Salt Lake IT corridor.
