Skywalk at Ruby to be linked with Metro FOBs

Kolkata: The

skywalk

at

Ruby

crossing will have a

walkway

linked to the foot overbridges (FOBs) being built to access the Hemanta Mukkherjee Metro station. “If linked with the Metro FOBs, pedestrians as well as Metro commuters can access the skywalk from all four sides,” said an engineer.

The decision to build the skywalk—it will be constructed in the 10m gap between the Metro station and the road—was taken after a meeting among

KMDA

, the implementing agency of the Ruby flyover and custodian of EM Bypass, RITES and

RVNL

, implementing agency of the

New Garia-Airport

Metro, on Saturday.

But there’s a fresh issue for Metro work at

Avishikta

crossing. The infrastructure committee of KMDA has asked RVNL to reduce the height of the Kavi Sukanta Metro station’s FOBs. RVNL has agreed to modify its design so that the Hemanta Mukherjee station FOBs can be linked with the skywalk, but it has expressed reservations about changing the height of the Kavi Sukanto station FOBs at Avishikta crossing. RVNL reiterated the heights of the viaduct and the FOBs were sacrosanct, but the KMDA’s committee is pushing for the proposal of two short flyovers above Ruby and Avishikta crossings instead of one running over the two, as was planned earlier. The revised proposal has already been turned down by consultancy firm, RITES. The infrastructure panel, however, feels two flyovers can be accommodated if the Metro

FOB

heights are lowered.

The Saturday meeting was held to finalize the alignments of Ruby flyover and the skywalk, which is a part of the Rs 600-crore flyover project at Ruby crossing. Attempts were also made to clear the pending accesses to Hemanta Mukherjee station (Ruby crossing) and Kavi Sukanta station (Aviskihta crossing). RITES has to prepare the flyover’s DPR based on the Metro alignment. RITES engineers batted for the plan of one flyover from Ambedkar bridge on Bypass till Kalikapur or Avishikta crossing.

But KMDA infrastructure committee insisted two flyovers would benefit motorists more. RVNL referred the issue to its Delhi-based designers. “In a week, RVNL will decide on amending the FOB and the issue will be resolved,” an urban development department official said.