Kolkata is ready to receive three underground tunnels as part of the ongoing work to expand the metro rail network. As the sources indicate, the work is being carried out with precautions to protect the century-old building of the Calcutta Municipality.
As per the international rules, in case of a distance of two and a half kilometres or more between the two underground metro stations, a station must be constructed in the middle.
The distance between Sealdah and the Esplanade is more than two and a half kilometres in the East-West Metro project in Kolkata. The metro authorities thought of constructing a station at the Subodh Mallick Square as a result.
Due to lack of land at the place, a giant shaft or cavity resembling a well is being constructed there.
The tunnels are being built 13 meters below the ground. Two of them are ventilation tunnels, with an emergency tunnel below to enable a safe exit for the passengers and the entry point of the tunnel begins at 13 meters below the ground. The ending point of this shaft is going to be at least 22 meters below the ground, and the construction work is being done under continuous monitoring of the ITD engineers.
Dinesh Dani, the project engineer in charge, told the media that there are several aquifers in the place from where the water is drawn, and secondly, the century-old Calcutta Municipality building is not far from the tunnels' spot. He said that the vibration felt while digging the tunnel could also pose a problem for the floor of the Municipality and other nearby old buildings and that the work on that shaft is proceeding slowly but cautiously.
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