Kolkata: Crowd control plan for Esplanade Metro station

Kolkata: Crowd control plan for Esplanade Metro station

KOLKATA: Once the Metro network in the city gets completed, Esplanade will be the most important station with the three corridors — North-South, East-West and Joka-BBD Bag — intersecting there. At peak hour, the passenger count is estimated to be nearly one lakh and the transport department has engaged RITES to chalk out a comprehensive commuter dispersal system to manage the crowd.

To facilitate a seamless changeover among a wide array of transit modes — Metro, buses, cabs and trams — RITES will develop a master plan, including ingress and egress plans, commuter dispersal system and underground connectivity to major passenger-generating spots like Eden Gardens, Netaji indoor stadium, high court and major ferry ghats.

When operational, Esplanade will become India's second three-line interchange after Delhi's Kashmere Gate station. The existing line at Esplanade station, built underneath Jawaharlal Nehru Road, will be connected to the new structure via a subway. Unless Metro alignments are physically integrated, the seamless interface will not be possible. So there will be an integrated terminal structure, which will be in sync with the structural ethos of Esplanade. The Howrah station complex, for instance, has been an architectural marvel for more than 100 years, even though it has been extended later on. "We are planning similar architectural designs for Esplanade terminal," said a senior transport department officer.

"The study is at the final stage. We expect this to be the most comprehensive commuter dispersal study integrating all major modes of transports," said Narayan Swarup Nigam, nodal officer of state for Metro projects.

This study assumes significance since Esplanade bus terminus will shortly be done away with because of the apex court order. But with the peak-hour volume of passengers, the Metro alignment will need some permanent parking slots for buses and cabs. This is why RITES is carrying out parking surveys at 30 locations, pedestrian movement count at 40 locations and on street parking on 750m on either side of the survey location.

Since over-ground parking of buses will be disallowed, the transport department is planning a basement parking, which will be constructed below Curzon Park.

RITES will also prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of an underground pedestrian way from Espl-anade station to Calcutta high court, Eden Gardens and Babughat.

The World Bank has also stepped in and commissioned a set of studies for route rationalization of buses vis-a-vis ferry and expanding of the Metro network, a common ticketing system, terminal points within and outside the city and rejuvenation of Esplanade as a walkers' paradise

Source:TOI