No forcible acquisition of land for Metro projects: Mamata Banerjee

Announcing a slew of Metro extension projects connecting the metropolis with the southern and northern fringes, railway minister Mamata Banerjee today said there would be no forcible acquisition of land for the purpose.

"We are against forcible acquisition of land. In the Railways we have made it a policy not to acquire land forcibly for any project. We will not acquire land forcibly for the new Metro project from Joka to BBD Bagh," Banerjee said at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the 16.72km project by pesident Pratibha Patil.

Terming the Rs2,619 project as a "dream project", she said, "It would help lakhs of commuters reach BBD bagh from the extreme south...It is a long-standing demand of the people living in these areas."

The Joka-BBD Bagh route would have 13 stations -- some overground and some underground, she said.

The railway minister also announced inclusion of Noapara, Dakshineswar and Baranagar in the Metro Railway map.

Baranagar and Noapara will be the nodes from where further extension up to Barrackpore and Barasat will take place.

Banerjee had recently laid the foundation stone for extension of the existing Metro network from Dum Dum to Dakshineswar. The stretch between the two stations will cost nearly Rs600 crore.

The railways have decided to undertake the project in two phases. The first phase will be of 5.2km between Dum Dum and Baranagar, which will cost Rs237 crore.

Phase-II will be between Dakshineswar and Baranagar. While construction of this stretch is in progress, surveys will be completed to connect Barrackpore to Baranagar and Barasat to Noapara via the airport.

Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee who was present at the function lauded Banerjee for speeding up the Metro extension projects.

The Metro projects covering a total distance of 81.22km will involve an expenditure of Rs12,000 crore, he said.