Dear Madam / Sir,

In the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, an underground Metro Railway project called East-West Metro is being constructed from East Calcutta to West Calcutta.

Currently it is passing through a densely populated area called Bowbazar which is more than 400 year old, is a high water table area and most of the houses are more than 200 year old, some are more then 300 year old.

Two tunnel boring machines are currently passing through the underground of this area. As a result the high water table has entered the constructed tunnels and everyday some or other houses are getting demolished by the construction process. Everyday thousands of people are getting homeless as their houses are getting demolished. The inhabitants are living in the area for more then 400 years.

The whole construction is being done without proper analysis of the soil and its capacity to undertake the construction process. The soil is surrounded by many big rivers, canals and lakes and is of very poor quality. Yet the construction has been done. The metro authorities are evacuating the houses after the construction failed. No proper analysis was done from beforehand and thus no proper estimation of the consequences could be analysed by them. They are doing inhuman activities in the name of development.

The area is inhabited by more then 1 lakh people and if the construction is not stopped more than 1 lakh people will be homeless from that area and adjoining areas and at least another lakh will be affected because of permanent cessation of their source of living. As a result Human Rights of the people of the area is being hampered like proper home, food and uncertain future. The fundamental rights of the fellow citizens of Bowbazar are being infringed.

It is an earnest request to the Human Rights Commission, KMRCL, West Bengal Government, Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Government of India to look into the matter and STOP the Construction at once and find some alternative so that no other citizen becomes homeless and no other building collapes in Bowbazar due to metro construction. We request the authorities to change the route of East-West Metro far away from Bowbazar.

Regards,
All Affected Citizens

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/855869844809370/