KOLKATA: The underground section of the Joka-Esplanade Metro corridor is caught in a fresh stalemate.
The defence ministry has demanded an annual charge of Rs 30 crore for the three stations that will be built below the Maidan. Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), implementing agency of the Metro project, has pleaded inability to pay the sum, saying the Metro Railway, which incurs huge revenue losses every year, will not be able to bear this additional cost indefinitely. The office of the defence secretary has, however, shot another letter to the chairman of Railway Board, saying the charges cannot not be waived. Officials said railways would continue to reiterate its stance and conceded that underground tunnelling or station construction could not begin unless the dispute over the cost was resolved.
