East-West Metro will be ready in 30 months: Prabhu.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said the proposed East-West Metro in Kolkata, that has missed many deadlines, will be completed in 30 months.

The 15-km rail project will connect the IT hub of Salt Lake with the twin city of Howrah. A fair share of the project will be underground.

Originally estimated at ₹5,000 crore, the project missed many deadlines due to realignment of route and the related cost-escalation and non-availability of land.

“Before coming here, I have had a meeting….Work has begun on the E-W Metro project. It will be completed in another two-and-a-half years,” he said at the Bengal Global Business Summit. Prabhu, meanwhile, assured that the estimated ₹82,000 crore dedicated freight corridor will be completed in three years (around 2019). It will allow faster movement of goods and cargo. Direct linkages to ports will be another benefit.

He said that tenders worth ₹19,000 crore have already been issued. Another ₹38,000 crore worth tenders will be issued by June this year. The Railways is also in advanced stages of awarding contracts for the manufacture of rolling stock.

HBL