North Central, Kolkata

A safety audit of high-rise projects in Kolkata has revealed that over 90% are structurally sound with no major deviations from sanctioned plans. Approximately half of the audited projects have received approval to resume construction, with another 43% expected to be cleared within a week.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, is expected to visit West Bengal soon to announce a Rs 20,000 crore package for infrastructure development, focusing on roads, highways, and bridges. This significant investment is anticipated to boost connectivity and accelerate infrastructure development across the state.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) and PMAY-U 2.0 have collectively sanctioned over 1.25 crore houses, with more than 1 crore completed and delivered to beneficiaries nationwide. The scheme has a significant share of women beneficiaries, with 1 crore houses allotted to women as sole or joint owners.

West Bengal is set to impose significant penalties for violations of approved building plans in commercial and high-rise buildings. Property owners will have until March 31, 2027, to rectify minor structural deviations. After this date, major violations in commercial buildings will face hefty fines, and in cases where safety cannot be assured, demolition will be ordered.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has advised State RERAs to grant a four-month extension to eligible real estate projects facing delays due to global supply chain disruptions, citing the West Asia situation as a Force Majeure event. The extension applies to projects with completion dates on or after February 28, 2026..

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited has invited bids for the construction of 10 elevated metro stations and a viaduct for the Baranagar-Barrackpore Metro Corridor, a project stalled for over 16 years. The project faced delays due to issues with underground water pipelines and utility relocation.

Traders at BC Roy Market (Maidan Market) have been notified to shift to temporary structures by August 26 to facilitate the construction of the Esplanade metro station for the Joka-Esplanade Purple Line. This move aims to resolve a three-year-long stall in the metro project,

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari announced that Kolkata will soon have a Water Metro and two new inter-city metro services connecting Asansol-Durgapur and Siliguri-Jalpaiguri. This initiative aims to revolutionize public transport and improve connectivity across the state.

The West Bengal government is considering amendments to the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976, to improve land availability for industrial and infrastructure projects. This move aims to remove obstacles to investment and streamline land acquisition processes, potentially boosting economic development.