Street Food in Kolkata: High on taste yet low on cost!

Streets in Kolkata

 

Like several other metropolises, Calcutta has been witnessing an unprecedented and sudden urban growth that has resulted in the increase of the labor force and working professionals in the city. Service related activities have witnessed a surge. This coupled with the increase in population, has made many people to settle down in distant areas and the suburbs. Daily commuting has become apart of people’s lives. This has directly or indirectly brought a change in the attitudes, schedules and tastes of people when it comes to food consumption.

The eating habits of people in Kolkata and of course West Bengal, has changed to great extent. The cheap eating places or houses that could be seen in large numbers in Old Calcutta, thirty years ago, can hardly be seen today. The street sellers, who were into selling raw commodities earlier, are presently selling prepared food items. Transportable stands have now replaced the small shops. Street food in Kolkata have now come into picture and are being adopted hugely and gladly by people because they are cheap, tastes good and are conveniently sold anywhere and everywhere where people wherever people gather together as for instance offices, market places, schools, railway stations etc.

The street food in Calcutta has managed to shed off its disorganized image, thereby making itself more viable and important for the people. The activity is also a source of income for many. Talk about street foods and you cannot just miss out on Kolkata! Instead of the fact that there has always been an increase in the number of food courts and restaurants in India, yet a huge section of the urban population in Kolkata depends largely on the street delicacies to pamper their taste buds and at the same time meet their daily eating needs as well. The reason for this could be anything from cheap price, fast service, and scarcity of time to variety of eateries!

Streets vendors with their assortment of lip-smacking delicacies can be found easily at any place in Kolkata, where people gather. While the school students enjoy the phuchkas, jhaal muri, crispy bhelpuri etc, the office-goers on the other, feed themselves with chowmin, ghoogni, Puri Sabji, chop and many more.

For the foodies, Kolkata comes with a wide variety of amazing delights at almost every corner of the city. Offering an unending buffet, the Kolkata Street food would tempt you to the core and leave asking for more!

When it comes to food, name it and you would get it in the streets of the City of Joy! Be it phuchka, snacks, jhalmuri or chat, Chinese items like chowmein and chili chicken, Tibetan eateries such as momo, thupka or south Indian food like idli, dosa etc, you would get it all in Kolkata. We bet, you would keep coming back for more! Street Food in Kolkata is high on taste yet low on cost!

Some of the popular streets and areas in Kolkata where you would get street food at its best are:

Lord Sinha Road

The street just outside the AC Market is a wonderful place to hangout with family or friends. After a tiring shopping spree at the AC Market, you would surely feel hungry! All you need to do is step out of the market and find a suitable food stall for yourself, by the road side. Have a bite of the pav bhaji or taste the phuchkas, jhaal muri, papri chat or bhel puri. You can find here things like “chana garam” as the vendors bawl for it! The chana mixture is served in the typical Mumbai-style, with lime and chili powder. There is also the soda shikanji or the masala Thumps Up to add to the taste! Give this amazing start of yours, a perfect ending, with the famous Kulfi!

Camac Street

For the food lovers, Camac Street is the place to be in, while in Kolkata. You would hardly be able to resist yourself from having the moong dal vadas served with chilli garlic or pudina chutney. Other specialties in the region are batata puri and papri chat. If you move towards the Vardan Market, you would get to see people waiting in long queues to get hold of their share of food at the food stalls. The tangy taste and the flavor of a variety of chats found along the foot paths at Camac Street would surely catch hold of your attention. The puffed rice, pappri chat, batata puri and the phuchka found here are surely worth your wait. The variety of chats that one can get here are many. It ranges from chats made of different fruits or chats with papris and potatoes. The chats are garnished with curd, spices, two types chutneys made of pudina, chili, salt, lime and coriander and the other one with tamarind, dates and jaggery. They would leave you craving for more!

Russell Street

At a stone throw distance from Park Street, Russell Street is among the popular places in the City of Joy, where you explore the street foods more! The place is well-known for the chat and phuchka stalls. You would also get vegetable rolls, egg rolls and chops. Go out with your friends and try out the ghugni there served with spiced, shredded ginger, chilies and lime! Russell Street is there to lure you with an assortment of palate teasing items.

BBD Bagh

Along the very popular place in East Calcutta, BBD Bagh, you would find a cluster of street hawkers along the road from Lal Bazaar to The Great Eastern Hotel. They make amazing food items cooked in front of you. And if you are worried about the quality of food on the streets and afraid of falling sick, then let us tell u that since a large number of people come to meet their eating needs, on a regular basis here, so the sellers take in that extra effort and care to make sure that no one gets sick because otherwise there business and livelihood is also at stake. This is something that they cannot let happen!

Esplanade and Chowringhee

If you happen to be in busy places such as Chowringhee and Esplanade, in Central Kolkata, then you must visit ” Dacres Lane” near the Peerless Head Office, at least once!  Some of the better street side food stalls can be found here!

Ultadanga

Take on the EM bypass and as you cross the Ultadanga Hudco Crossing there are a group of food stalls along the roadside, where one can catch hold of a variety of delicacies!

Eden Gardens Lies Deserted!

It was a huge loss for Kolkata, the City of Joy as ICC that is the International Cricket Council took its decision to take away from Eden Gardens, the India- England World Cup Match of 2011 to be held on 27^th February 2011, after declaring, once an excellent playground, Eden Gardens to be presently unfit for hosting the match. In regard to the renovation work at Eden that is developing at a very slow pace unfortunately, this historic stadium ultimately witnessed thumbs down by the ICC, after the final inspection.

While facing the challenge, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President, Jagmohan Dalmiya, who is to be blamed the most for this shameful happening, placed 2 suggestions in order to keep this World Cup 2011 match at Eden Gardens. The first happened to be a swap deal whereby another association, in exchange of the India- England World Cup 2011 match, would allow Eden Gardens to host a different world cup match later, in some other dates. Or else Dalmiya would offer ICC with a match-ready stadium on 7^th February. These suggestions ultimately could not cut the ice and were incapable of getting back the match for the once prestigious Eden Gardens.

Four matches were originally scheduled to be hosted by Eden Gardens:

• 27^th February, 2011, India Vs England, Kolkata

• 20^th March, 2011, Zimbabwe Vs Kenya, Kolkata

• 15^th March, 2011, South Africa Vs Ireland, Kolkata

• 18^th March, 2011, Ireland Vs Netherlands, Kolkata

Out of these four matches, the England- India match would now take place at some other venue. To add to this situation, if the team of International Cricket Council finds the renovation work to move at an unsatisfactory pace, it might also move out the other three matches that is Ireland vs. Holland Match (March 18), the Ireland vs. South Africa Match (March 15), and the Kenya vs. Zimbabwe Match (March 20) out of the City of Joy. Then it would be BCCI’s responsibility to relocate the matches. This might come as a nightmare because if ICC decides to move out all the matches from Eden Gardens, Kolkata, then responsibility will lie with BCCI to find out 4 slots for these matches, without altering the schedule of World Cup 2011, along with four centers willing to host the matches.

The Chief Executive of ICC, Haroon Lorgat was found commenting that

“Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level of confidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time……..All venues had ample time in which to prepare for World Cup matches…….. We had been understanding and had provided extensions to the deadline dates but unfortunately we are now at a point where we must carefully manage our risks,”.

With blame games continuing Dalmiya termed this entire decision as a “conspiracy” against the Bengal Cricket. With facts wide open for people to see and understand, Dalmiya however, continued to maintain that the stadium is match-fit.

England cricketers like Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett termed this happening as “shameful”.

Broad expressed his disappointment over ICC’s decision and stated that he was eager to play before the huge crowd at Eden Garden’s Kolkata.

On his Twitter profile, Broad tweeted saying-

“Shame Eden Gardens not ready for World Cup, our game there would have been special with 100,000+ crowd,”

Tremlett, the fast bowler was of the opinion that the switch of venue was not ideal. He sympathized with the Kolkatans and others who have already booked the tickets for this world cup 2011 match.

To quote him-

“I think in a few big tournaments, there seems to be things that are left to the last minute……..I am sure that they will find ways around it, but it is a shame as I am sure a lot of people have booked plane tickets and supporters have paid a lot of money to go out there……..I hope they can sort it out and hopefully it will not affect the team as well.”

On this match shifting issue, the CAB chief Jagmohan Dalmiya also sought help from the union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s and wanted his intervention into the matter.

On the other hand, prior to the Assembly Elections, unfortunately enough, this issue of match shifting is being taken up as an opportunity by the different political parties in Bengal, to influence people and earn some points in their own favor. The situation has given rise to an unofficial and informal competition among the different political parties for requesting Sharad Pawar for the restoration of the match at Eden.

The Chief Minister of West Bengal and also the politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee urged Pawar to reconsider ICC’s decision.

The President of International Cricket Council (ICC), Sharad Power in the initial stage agreed to give CAB time till 7^th February and said that if the ground is fit for the match by 7^th February, he would definitely try to get back the match for Eden Gardens. Having said that, however, Power at a later stage told the Chief Minister of Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that it is now not possible since, 8 members at the ICC are against the matter.

Trinamool Congress however, seems to be lagging behind in the competition to persuade Sharad Pawar for reconsidering the decision of ICC regarding the shifting of match from Eden Gardens. Yet Mukul Roy, a senior leader of the Trinamool Congress said that “The ICC is an autonomous body. But keeping in mind the emotions of the people of Kolkata, we have already conversed with Sharad Pawar,”.

Pradip Bhattacharjee, the State Congress leader also spoke about the matter to the president of ICC.

In respond to Dalmiya’s request for assistance, Kshiti Goswami, the minister of State Public Works Department even visited Eden Gardens, with a group of engineers in order to help CAB complete the work within the required deadline.

According to Kshiti Goswami

“Dalmiya had requested me to help the CAB complete the pending work. I have assured him my full support,”.

To quote a political scientist, Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhuri–

“Cricket is considered a religion in this country. Ahead of crucial assembly elections, it is not at all surprising that political parties jump to grab the opportunity as they try to do in the case of other religions or castes.”

As per the economists, Dipankar Dasgupta-

“Bengalis are emotional about the Eden Gardens, so it is quite natural that political parties try to work up emotions ahead of the assembly elections.”

Established long back in the year 1864, Eden Gardens happens to be the largest in terms of seating capacity and among the finest stadiums in India in terms of quality. Located in Kolkata, Eden Gardens is considered to be the pride of the city. But unfortunately over the time, indifferent and careless attitudes on the part of various sectors and officials related, lack of prompt action on the part of many and the blame game at its peak is making Eden Gardens suffer like never before! Amidst the huge loss and disappoint  for the people in Kolkata and the cricket lovers, the moot question that keeps peeping is how long a quality stadium would suffer for actions uncalled for?

 

 

Satyajit Ray and Indian Films!

Kolkata, West Bengal

Satyajit Ray is possibly the finest filmmaker from India to the west and undoubtedly one of the masters of world cinema. Although most of his films were in Bengali, yet his films are of great universal value and interest. His films were based on themes of reality such as emotions, relationships, struggle, joys, conflicts and sorrows. The films showcased notable humanism, intricate observation and fine handling of situations and characters.

Satyajit Ray was born on 2nd May, 1921 in the city of Joy, Calcutta in one of the distinguished families of Bengal. Upendra Kishore Ray, his grandfather was an astronomer, scientist, musician, writer, illustrator, and a publisher. Ray’s father Sukumar Ray was an excellent writer while his mother was a phenomenal singer. Ray graduated from Presidency College, Calcutta and left for Shantiniketan, West Bengal where he developed interest in graphic design.

After returning to Kolkata (Calcutta) in the year 1943 he worked in a British advertising agency. In the year 1949 he got the chance to meet Jean Renoir, the great director from France. Jean Renoir encouraged and inspired Ray to make films. The film Vittorio de Sica’s Bicycle Thief (1949) inspired Ray greatly who then started working on his first film Pather Panchali.

Pather Panchali is the first part of the Apu trilogy. The movie upholds the village life of Bengal from the view of Durga and Apu, two children of an impecunious Brahmin priest. The film is based on one of the famous novels by Bibhutibhushan Bannerjee where Satyajit Ray turns the most apparently dull events into a significant experience. A few of them includes an approaching train making Apu and Durga mesmerized or the scene of Apu’s admiring eyes seeing Durga dancing at the downpour. Another memorable experience is the use of appropriate music when the poor priest was being told about her beloved daughter’s death. This film was successfully shown in movie halls for 13 weeks in Calcutta and even won a unique prize for the ‘Best Human Document’ at Cannes.

Pather Panchali was succeeded by two other films Aparajito and Apur Sansar in the years 1956 and 1959 respectively which completes the Apu trilogy by portraying his adulthood and marriage. In spite of having many outstanding moments and firm creation, these films had a deficit of the poetic quality and unfussiness of Pather Panchali. But still, as a whole, the trilogy has the tempo and gush of life. Even Aparajito won the ‘Lionne d’Ore’ in a jury supervised by Rene Clair at Venice. Apur Sansar witnessed the starting of Ray’s long-term relationship with the well-known Soumitra Chatterjee.

Though Satyajit Ray had a creative period of remarkable filmmaking which includes Jalsaghar in the year 1958, Devi in 1960, Teen Kanya in 1961, Abhijan and Kanchenjunga in 1962 and Mahanagar in 1963 which is his first movie in colour, the most flawlessly crafted one was Charulata in the year 1964. The period during 1879 in Calcutta known as Bengal Renaissance, was meticulously projected in the film through the costumes, the wallpaper, the Victorian furniture, the typeface of Charu’s husband’s journal etc. A one-liner dialogue in a total duration of seven minutes is so prominent that it is sufficient to project Charu’s loneliness and boredom while wondering aimlessly in the opening series. Charulata’s role was brilliantly performed by Madhabi Mukherjee and the astonishing musical pattern set the attitude of the movie.

In the film Nayak (1966), Ray kept in mind superstar Uttam Kumar while creating the lead character of actor Arindam Mukherjee. People felt the film to be the autobiography of Uttam Kumar. The sense of disquiet and impatience of the renowned actor epitomized Uttam’s diffidence regarding his phenomenal achievement along with the fear about the lasting of his superstardom. Uttam Kumar got into the character of Arindam and even post-completion of the film, Ray confessed that the movie would have been abandoned by him if the superstar had refused to act in the same. They worked again in another film named Chidiakhana in the year 1967.

Distinct from his contemporaries, Ray’s work didn’t have any fixed genre. He thus gifted the film industry with varying movies ranging from a dance and song fantasy movie for the children to modern metropolitan trilogy and detective crime fiction. To name the most famous are Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne in the year 1969, Pratidwandi in 1970, Seemabaddha in 1971, Jana Aranya in 1975, Sonar Kella in 1974, Jai Baba Felunath in 1978 etc. Satyajit Ray’s first Hiondi film was Shatranj ke Khiladi, one of the historical in 1977.

In 1978, Ray was ranked one of the three “all-time best directors” by the managing committee of the Berlin Film Festival. Ray was forced to stop his film making in the 1980s for his deteriorating health condition though later in 1988, doctors permitted the great director to work again provided the shooting is strictly restricted to indoor.

Post this period, the only film where Satyajit Ray was seen in his original form was Agantuk in the year 1991. The movie covers the story of a lost uncle landing up in the life of his young niece and her husband unexpectedly. His claim to be the wife’s uncle was being suspected by the couple. They thought him to be after her ancestral property though their son gets enthralled with his travels and adventures. In the end, the uncle departs having bared the meanness of the couple. Though the film could not make much business in India but was figured in one of the first ten box-office hits in Paris. Satyajit Ray was finally awarded with the honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992.

To put it in the words of the excellent film director Akira Kurosawa from Japan,

“The quiet but deep observation, understanding and love of the human race, which are characteristic of all his films, have impressed me greatly. … I feel that he is a “giant” of the movie industry.” … “Not to have seen the Cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon.” “I can never forget the excitement in my mind after seeing it (Pather Panchali). It is the kind of cinema that flows with the serenity and nobility of a big river.

While Martin Scorsese said-

“Ray’s magic, the simple poetry of his images and their emotional impact will always stay with me.”

Ray not only made and directed films but also wrote all the screenplays of the films that he made. He composed some amazing music for his movies and could also operate the camera. He was truly a wonderful screenplay writer and a composer and young tlents have definitely a lot to learn from him. Satyajit Ray wrote an autobiography in the year 1982, called Jakhtan Choto Chilam. The autobiography encompassed his childhood years. Essays on several films like Bosoy Chalachchitra (1976), “Our Films, Their Films (1976) and Ekei Bole Shooting (1979) were also written by him. Majority of the stories and novels written by Ray were published by Ananda Publishing in Calcutta while the screenplays were published by the Eksan Journal in Bengali.

Many popular documentaries were created on Satyajit Ray, by eminent film makers and personalities like Shyam Benegal and K Bikram Singh. Ray was also the subject of biographies written by Marie Seaton in 1971, Das Gupta in 1980 and Robinson in 1989.

Once Darius Cooper, the Film Critic said-

“In film after film, he investigates India’s social institutions and the power structures to which they give rise, or vice versa. He works out, in concrete terms, the conflicts and issues of his times, both in his own state of Bengal and in the larger Indian nation….” (The Cinema of Satyajit Ray: Between Tradition and Modernity, 2000)

To quote the talented Film Director Elia Kazan-

“I have admired his films for many years and for me he is the filmic voice of India, speaking for the people of all classes of the country…”

Robert Steel, a Film Critic said that-

“[When] I did see [Pather Panchali]… I was bowled over. Here was an Indian film that was a film or that matched my concept of a film and a great one at that. It was the first film made in India that I had ever seen which did not embarrass, annoy, or bore me.” (Montage Special Issue on Satyajit Ray, 1966)

Satyajit Ray was not just restricted to film making. He was a literary genius as well. From the year 1961 to 1992, he wrote many non-fictions, novels and stories. In the year 1961, Ray revitalized and invigorated a magazine for the children called “Sandesh”, which was created by his grandfather. Ray added to this magazine immensely and throughout his complete life, by enriching the magazine with inspiring and interesting verses, stories and illustrations.

Ray was also into writing many articles and short stories. Children’s literature, specially that I Bengali was benefited hugely and significantly, through the valuable contributions made by Stayajit Ray. Children specially liked the novels and detective stories written by this great writer. His writings are self-effacing, unpretentious and at the same time very entertaining. Subjects ranged from detective stories, fantasy, adventure, science fiction and horror. Satyajit Ray was an amazing painter too.

In the year 1978, Satyajit Ray was ranked as one of the 3 all time best directors, by the organizing committee of Berlin Film Festival.

In the year 1992, Satyajit Ray was awarded with the very prestigious honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. He was recognized for his rare mastery of art and his deep and insightful humanitarian approach that influenced the audiences and the filmmakers from all across the world in a major way.

Other prestigious honors received by Satyajit Ray are “Lègion d’Honneur”, from France and “Bharatratna” (Jewel of India) by his very on country, India.

Further, this legendary filmmaker was also felicitated with numerous other esteemed awards as a film maker for both the personal achievements that he made and also the films made by him. Satyajit Ray and Indian Films are like the two sides of the same coin. Both are incomplete without the presence of each other! They are simply inseparable.

 

Kolkata Metro Railway: City’s Pride!

Kolkata Metro

The 1^st underground railway network to be set up in India was the Kolkata Metro Railway, which started its operations in the month of October, in 1984. Run by Indian Railways, the Kolkata metro has been given the zonal railway status. The New Delhi Metro Railway, which commenced functioning in the year 2002, is the 2^nd urban metro railway network in the country. In contrast to the Delhi Metro System, which saw the involvement of several international consultants, Kolkata Metro system was much more a trial and error process owing to the fact that it was for the first time that a railway network of this sort was being constructed in India. It therefore took almost 23 years to complete the 17km long underground railway.

At present the Kolkata Metro Network extends from DumDum to New Garia station. From 1972 to 2009, the metro railway in Kolkata underwent the construction process progressively. The Phase-I having a length of about 16.450 km, extending from   DumDum to Tollygunge (Mahanayak Uttam Kumar) was completed in the year 1995. The Phase-II having a length of 5.834 km, extending from Mahanayak Uttam Kumar to Kavi Nazrul station was completed in August, 2009. And finally the Phase-III, with a length of about 2.851 km, extending from Kavi Nazrul to New Garia station was completed shortly.

Presently, the Kolkata railway line runs from DumDum in north Kolkata and passing through Park Street and Esplanade in Central Kolkata and Tollyganj in the south, finally stops at Kavi Subhash station in New Garia.

History of Kolkata Metro Railway

The growing transport problem in the city of Kolkata absorbed the notice of the State Government, city planners and the Government of India. Very soon it was understood that in order to cope up with the transport problems in the city, something should be done immediately. The then West Bengal Chief Minister, Dr. B.C. Roy came up with an idea in the year 1949, that would offer relief to the people from the troubled situation, to a major extent. The idea was of an Underground Railway system for the people of Kolkata. With the desire to alleviate the Kolkatans from the suffering, the Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways) came up in the year 1969, whereby it was decided that a Mass Rapid Transit System would be constructed. In 1971, the MTP (Railways) came up with a plan for the construction of 5 rapid transit tracks in Kolkata with a route length of 97.5km. Smt. Indira Gandhi led the foundation stone of this project on 29^th December, 1972, while the construction work commenced in 1973-74. Facing and overcoming numerous problems such as unavailability of funds, court injunctions, irregular and improper supply of materials and many more, finally the “Kolkata Metro- City’s Pride” came up as a reality to all, on 24^th October, 1984, leaving behind all the obstacles of disbelief.

Initially Calcutta Metro started with partial services covering 3.40 km of distance and 5 stations in between Esplanade and Bhowanipur. This was soon followed by passenger services in the north from Dum Dum to Belgachia on a 2.15 km long track. The service was later extended till Tollygunge that would cover 4.24 km of distance and the total network had 11 stations. Several stretches of network came after in order to make the metro dream of the city come true. On 27^th September, services for the entire stretch commenced.

• Esplanade – Bhowanipur (Netaji Bhaban) (3.4 km): 24^th October, 1984
• Dum Dum – Belgachhia (2.15 km): 12^th November, 1984
• Bhowanipur (Netaji Bhaban) – Tollygunge (Mahanayak Uttam Kumar) (4.25 km): 29^th April, 1986
• Dum Dum – Shyambazar (3.8 km): 13^th August, 1994
• Esplanade – Chandni Chowk (0.7 km): 2^nd October, 1994
• Shyambazar – Girish Park (1.9 km) and Chandni Chowk – Central (0.6 km): 19^th February, 1995
• Central – Girish Park (1.8 km): 27^th September, 1995
• Mahanayak Uttamkumar-Kavi Nazrul, 5.85 km: 22^nd August, 2009
• Kavi Nazrul-Kavi Subhash (3 km) : 7^th October, 2010:

Metro Stations

• Dum Dum
• Belgachhia
• Shyambazar
• Shobhabazar-Sutanuti
• Girish Park
• Mahatma Gandhi Road
• Central
• Chandni Chowk
• Esplanade
• Park Street
• Maidan
• Rabindra Sadan
• Netaji Bhavan (Previously called Bhowanipore)
• Jatin Das Park
• Kalighat
• Rabindra Sarobar
• Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Previously called Tollygunge)
• Netaji
• Masterda Surya Sen
• Gitanjali
• Kavi Nazrul
• Shahid Khudiram
• Kavi Subhash

Future Plans of Kolkata Metro Railway

A lot of future plans and projects are in the pipeline for the Kolkata Metro, waiting to happen and make their presence felt! There will be an extension from Dumdum to Dakshineswar passing through Noapara and Baranagar. It will run across the Eastern railway Line already existing. This metro extension is expected to benefit the people of Hoogly, North 24-Parganas and Kolkata. It will link the Eastern Railway at DumDum, also.

Extension from Noapara to Barasat: The up metro track from Noapara to Barasat will cross through Ramakrishna Palli and Santinagar while the down track will cross through DumDum Cantonment and Jessore Road prior to its meeting with the Up track at Biman Bandar station. From Biman Bandar station both the lines will run parallel along National Highway- 34 upto Nawali Khal and would gradually descent over Nawali Khal prior to reaching Madhyam Gram. From Madhyam Gram till Barasat the metro track would run on the surface. This extension would help those residing in North 24- Parganas, immensely.

Extension from Noapara to Barrackpur: This extension will be mostly over ground and would run along the Eastern Railway main line, already existing. Not only would the people of North 24 Parganas benefit from this but the people of Nadia will also find it beneficial.

East – West Metro

East- West Metro is a project that would connect Kolkata to Howrah through an underwater metro track. The length of the track would be approximately 14.67 km of which 8.9 km would be underground and the remaining 5.77 km would be elevated. This metro line will be set up, maintained and controlled by a different body called Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation or KMRC. This metro route would cover 12 stations. The foundation stone for the project was laid down on February 22, 2009 and the construction commenced in March 2009. The project is estimated to be complete by 31^st October, 2014.

The East-West Metro will go from Sector 5, Salt Lake, in the east to Howrah Maidan. Air conditioned trains would serve the commuters. The stations underground will be replete with platform screen doors. The proposed metro stations are:

• Salt Lake Sector 5
• Karunamoyee Housing Estate
• Central Park
• City Center
• Bengal Chemical Office
• Yuva Bharati Krirangan
• Phoolbagan
• Sealdah Station
• Central (that would cross with line 1)
• Mahakaran
• Howrah Station
• Howrah Maidan