Metro stations to double as cross-over points
Metro stations coming up at the New Garia-Airport new metro route along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in eastern part of the city will double up as cross-over points for pedestrians to cross the busy expressway. This is being done to prevent accidents on the stretch. The proposal sent by the Kolkata Police has been accepted by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, which is undertaking the construction of the new metro stations. The metro stations will be used not only by metro passengers but also by the people who want to cross the expressway. Officials hope the plan will bring some discipline among the people to cross the road only at designated points.
Kolkata tramp lives off lizards, rats
A video of 25-year-old Amit Karmakar eating live lizards and rats at Kolkata’s Sealdah railway station has gone viral over the internet. It has generated reactions of both disgust and empathy towards the tramp. Though being rebuked and beaten up by the RPF (Railway Protection Force) officials, Karmakar continues to hunt for lizard and rats throughout the day. According to porters at the railway terminus, the tramp was addicted to dendrite and he started to eat lizard and rats after quitting his addiction. If a doctor is to be believed, lizards may be acting as a substitute of dendrite its tail has a chemical component that acts as a nervous stimulant.
Auto terror on city roads
The two-day autorickshaw strike at the busy Tollygunge-Garia route protesting the arrest of an auto-rickshaw driver following accusation of molestation by a 49-year-old woman has brought out the perils of passengers. Buses ran packed on the route as commuters had no option but to avail them.Often, passengers complain of reckless driving by three-wheelers and blame autodrivers for many accidents on the city roads. The strike was withdrawn after the administration intervened, but not before hundreds of commuters were left inconvenienced in the city.
India’s oldest port to showcase its heritage
The 147-year-old Kolkata Port has decided to showcase its rich history through a museum that would be reestablished at Fairley Warehouse of the Kolkata Port Trust in central Kolkata. The museum was gutted in a major fire on February 21, 2010. It will showcase the evolution of the port since its establishment in 1870 and how it led to the growth of Kolkata and handled trade through India to other parts of the British Empire and the world at large.
Aishik Chanda
Our correspondent in West Bengal chanda.aishik @gmail.com