Afcons kick-starts ₹532-cr 3.5-km metro line in Kolkata

Afcons has started piling work, the first step of construction, for the New Garia Airport Metro's 3.5km elevated stretch from City Centre II to the airport in Kolkata. The project is expected to complete in eight months at an investment of ₹532 crore. Recently, the construction major has started the groundwork or barricading stretches of the main arterial road of New Town after Afcons emerged as the lowest bidder for the mega project. Afcons has been contracted to complete the 3.5km viaduct, two stations — at Chinar Park and VIP Road (named Rabindra Tirtha and Haldiram respectively) — and the 950m underground stretch till the airport by January 2024. As many as 100 piers will be built along the way whereas the underground section, through cut-and-cover and box pushing methods, will start in August or September. From the City Centre II station to the airport, where the Noapara-Airport Metro will merge with it, which was originally planned to be underground but land acquisition issues prompted implementing agency Rail Vikas Nigam Limited to amend the design.