An association of Bowbazar residents who live near the East-West Metro construction site has written to the agency in charge of the construction, urging it to stop the “noise and vibration at night” so they can sleep.
In the wake of three subsidences and in a bid to prevent any further damage, a majority of the residents of Durga Pithuri Lane and adjacent areas have vacated their homes. They are now staying in accommodations arranged by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC), the implementing agency of the East-West Metro.
Only the residents of a handful of houses, deemed “safe” by the KMRC, continue to live in their homes. Over 40 such residents have written the letter under the banner of Bowbazar Mati-O-Manab Kalyan Society.
“This is to inform you that the boring machine being used to construct the underground evacuation shaft at Durga Pithuri Lane has been causing huge noise and shocking vibration since the last few days in our locality. The affected residents, particularly children and senior citizens, are...spending sleepless nights. It is our earnest request to you to ensure stoppage of the noise and vibration at night,” said the letter, dated July 6 and addressed to V.K. Srivastava, managing director of the KMRC.
The East-West Metro corridor will link Salt Lake Sector V and Howrah Maidan once fully operational.
A section of the residents left their homes on Wednesday night and went up to the Metro shaft but could not talk to any official.
“It is becoming impossible for us to sleep at night. How can this go on for so many days?” said a resident of Durga Pithuri Lane.
A KMRC official acknowledged the letter.
“We will convene a meeting at the earliest to decide what to do. We do not want to trouble the residents. But at the same time, the work needs to be completed on time. The project has already been delayed so much,” the official said.
An emergency evacuation shaft is now being built at the site. The work involves the construction of around 30 underground pillars, said an engineer.
“The piling work is causing the noise. But the vibration is well within the prescribed limit,” the engineer said.
A portion of the cornice of a house on Durga Pithuri Lane came crashing down on the morning of June 30. Residents of the area had linked the crash to the East-West Metro work, a charge denied by the officials.
