East-West Metro moved a step closer to Howrah

Finance minister P. Chidambaram has given a nod to sanction the loan agreement for the East-West Metro between Kolkata and Howrah

Finance minister P. Chidambaram has given a nod to sanction the loan agreement for the East-West Metro at Kolkata.The Centre and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation will seal the agreement on March 10.The bank will provide half the project cost of Rs 4,675 crore as soft loan, while the Centre and the state government will arrange for the the rest. This new project will link Howrah and Salt Lake. Work for the project is scheduled to start by March-April 2008 and is expected to be completed by October 2014. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had requested Chidambaram to highlight the project in his Budget speech. After the agreement is signed, the government will set up a company called Calcutta Metro Railway Corporation, which will execute the project.There will be 12 stations, including Sealdah, Bowbazar and BBD Bag. The route will cross the North-South Metro Railway at Central station.

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