Bengal govt to compensate families whose house developed cracks due to metro work in Bowbazar

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 16 (ANI): The West Bengal government on Saturday decided to provide compensation to the residents and shop owners in Kolkata who have been affected due to the metro construction work by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (KRMCL).
The state government has decided to provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each family whose house developed cracks in the Bowbazar area of the city.
Meanwhile, in the meeting which was held to discuss the situation arising out of subsidence and cracks in the houses of the said area, the Mamata Banerjee-led government has also decided to compensate for the loss of livelihood, which will be made on the basis of compensation formula under the supervision of Kolkata Municipal Corporation. This compensation shall be made as per the square feet area of the shops.
The meeting concluded with the notion that the buildings and shops which cannot be repaired shall be rebuilt.
The meeting was held between the state Chief Secretary and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Secretariat.
Previously, as many as 18 buildings developed major cracks due to the East-West metro rail project and around 254 residents of Bowbazar were shifted to different hotels on September 1, 2019, after serious cracks developed in their houses due to the underground tunnel boring work for the metro project.
These cracks appeared in scores of buildings due to the movement of the Tunnel Boring Machine under the soil.
On May 15, this year, the residents of Durga Pituri Lane in Bowbazar were evacuated after cracks appeared in their homes amid underground metro-rail construction Metro’s doing repair work.
“We are made to stay at a hotel. Around five to six people are kept here in one room and we expect more help from the government,” the residents said in May. (ANI)