Kolkata: Opposition Left members Tuesday created an uproar inside the West Bengal Assembly when Speaker Biman Banerjee refused to admit an adjournment motion moved by Forward Bloc MLA Paresh Adhikary on the ongoing East-West Metro project in the city.
Raising the issue during the question-hour session, Adhikary sought to move the motion on the East-West Metro project following West Bengal government's letter to the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) referring to the valuation of the land given for the project by the state at Salt Lake.
The Speaker refused to admit the motion following which the Left Opposition staged a walkout and kept outside the House for a brief period.
Later in the day, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim told reporters that the land had been given long ago to the Railways.
"But shall we not inform them of the valuation? The stake which was there with the state government we have given it to the Railways. Railways have to apply and talk to us. There will not be any problem anywhere," Hakim said.
"We all want development. The money of the state government is not that of the state but of the people. In audit we have to inform that we have sought this much of money from the Railways. After that whatever will happen will be according to the rules," the minister said.
Union Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo said the land valuation had become more than the project cost, which constituted a blow to the project.
"So I don't see any possiblity of the Railway giving that money. I wonder whether the state wants this project. I want the central and state government to work together to start the rail," he said adding that he was ready to write to the state government, if needed.
