Kolkata, Sep 19 (IANS) : Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) West Bengal president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya has urged Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to consider developing a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) network connecting Kolkata with important townships across South Bengal.
In a letter to Khattar, Bhattacharya said a well-researched preliminary feasibility proposal for a West Bengal Regional Rapid Transit System (VVB-RRTS) had been prepared.
He said the proposal merited detailed examination by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, given that connectivity between Kolkata and several industrial and tourism hubs was largely dependent on conventional railway routes and highways.
Bhattacharya said these conventional transport routes were often congested and, therefore, ill-suited for high-frequency commuter travel.
“An RRTS network on the lines of NCRTC’s Namo Bharat corridors can address this gap through metro-like, high-speed regional connectivity,” Bhattacharya pointed out in his letter.
The VVB-RRTS proposal, according to him, envisages connecting Kolkata with important townships including Kalyani, Krishnanagar and Mayapur in Nadia district, Bardhaman in East Burdwan district, Durgapur and Asansol in West Burdwan district, Falta and Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district, and Haldia in East Midnapore district, among others.
“The proposal is designed to minimise land acquisition by aligning corridors along existing highways and railway corridors. It also recommends a special purpose vehicle, the West Bengal Rapid Transit Corporation (WBRTC), on the lines of NCRTC, with joint ownership between the Government of India and the Government of West Bengal,” Bhattacharya pointed out in his letter.
The proposed network is intended to improve mobility, strengthen links with industrial centres and tourism destinations, and ease pressure on transport infrastructure.
He requested Khattar to examine the proposal and, if found suitable, direct a detailed feasibility study covering engineering, demand forecasting and financial analysis in coordination with the West Bengal government.
“I would be glad to facilitate an interaction with the report’s authors, should that be of assistance, and trust this proposal will receive your kind and favourable consideration,” Bhattacharya said.
