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A key obstacle for Kolkata Metro's Purple Line has been resolved after Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and the Consulate General of Nepal signed a land-swap MoU. Around 410?sq m of consulate land will be exchanged for 526 sq m of Metro Railway land, enabling construction of a 450 metre ramp between Mominpur and Kidderpore. The agreement follows multiple discussions over three years involving both countries' ministries, Metro Railway, and RVNL. This deal allows vital underground works to progress smoothly while resolving legal and logistical issues linked to the consulate's previous property.
Construction on Kolkata Metro's Purple Line has received a significant boost after Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and the Consulate General of Nepal signed a land-exchange memorandum of understanding. The deal allows a crucial ramp to be built between Mominpur and Kidderpore for the Mominpur-Esplanade underground stretch. Advertisement
Under the agreement, the Nepal consulate will transfer 409.53?sq?metres of its land in exchange for 526.34?sq?metres of adjoining Metro Railway property. Officials explained that the consulate land was urgently needed to construct a 450?metre ramp connecting the elevated Joka-Majerhat section with the underground stretch.
Negotiations for this land swap were conducted over three years, from 2022 to 2025, involving the Nepal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India's Ministry of External Affairs, Metro Railway, and RVNL. After multiple rounds of discussions in Kathmandu, New Delhi, and Kolkata, the Nepal government agreed to the exchange.
The MoU signing took place at the RVNL Model Room near Victoria Station, attended by Jhakka Prasad Acharya, Consul General of Nepal in Kolkata, Metro Railway Deputy Chief Engineer S.?K.?Dubey, RVNL Chief Project Manager Vipin Kumar, and a representative from India's Ministry of External Affairs.
This arrangement resolves previous hurdles, including litigation over the consulate's original property at 7/1 Diamond Harbour Road. The High Court had dismissed a writ petition by three tenants, clearing the way for the move. RVNL had also acquired the nearby building at 1 National Library Avenue in 2024 to facilitate construction.
Additional preparatory work has already been completed. Sewer lines under DH Road at CMRI Hospital were shifted to accommodate the ramp, and a 160?metre section of road will be widened by about five metres using land from CMRI Hospital, the Command Hospital, and the consulate site. These efforts collectively ensure that the ramp construction can proceed without further delay.
Source PTI
5th Jun, 2025
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