HIDCO plans Monorail type Light Rail Transit System for New Town and Salt Lake in Kolkata

Kolkata, India (Metro Rail Today): The West Bengal Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation is exploring new options for starting monorail services in Salt Lake and New Town, for the ease of commute of the rising population in this part of the city. The service will focus on those areas which are not being covered by the ongoing Metro service. The cost evaluation of the project has been completed and HIDCO is now looking for investors.

The alignment of the monorail services will start from Ultadanga and will run through Sector 1 and Sector III in Salt Lake and will reach New Town. The two metro networks currently under development- the East West corridor and the Garia- Kolkata Airport Metro will not be able to cover the entire Salt Lake and New Town region. The estimated cost of the entire project is Rs 4,500 crores.

The Monorail type light rail transit system connecting New Town Action Area III with Biswa Bangla gate (Narkelbagan) crossing located at the 3rd intersection on Biswa Bangla Sarani for a synchronised connectivity link with the Metro alignment.

HIDCO officials has asked an agency, which earlier had given a presentation, to furnish the LRT plan in detail for HIDCO to examine the proposal.

HIDCO had earlier prepared a concept plan of setting up a monorail or personalised transport system or ropeway type of transport system to improve intercity connectivity in New Town. The Metro alignment which is coming up will be passing only through Action Area I and II. The idea is to have a last mile connectivity link for AA III where several IT companies are coming up.

HIDCO officials said one agency recently came up with a proposal, which was placed before the Hidco board, saying that they would not seek any funding from the government for setting up a monorail system. "The agency proposed they will mobilise funds from other projects and will utilise the money to develop the monorail plan. The agency has been asked to give a detailed project report, showing us the proposed route, alignment and length where the LRT system could be set up from AA III to near Narkelbagan crossing. Once the agency gives us the detailed project proposal expectedly by this year, we would examine the proposal," said a Hidco official, reported TOI.