The installation of a large advertisement hoarding spanning across VIP Road is obstructing the construction of a ramp for the New Garia-Airport metro. Law enforcement is unable to allocate the necessary space for the ramp because vehicles redirected from the airport, traveling down the new road on the eastern side, would collide with one of the hoarding's support pillars. The Public Works Department (PWD) oversees VIP Road, while Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) manages the implementation of the 29km New Garia-Airport corridor, also known as the Orange line. Despite numerous meetings between these agencies, the presence of one of the hoarding's pillars continues to impede progress on the Metro corridor. This issue is particularly pressing as Metro Railway aims to initiate operations between the airport and the VIP Road station at Haldiram crossing. The PWD has agreed to dismantle the hoarding and construct a new one. Instead of relying on two pillars, they plan to reconstruct it with a 'Y' shaped pillar on the median just after Kaikhali crossing. However, work on removing the existing hoarding has not commenced yet, as lamented by a Railways engineer. The site for the ramp construction was handed over to Metro authorities on April 26th. An 11-meter wide road space was designated on the eastern side to divert VIP Road-bound vehicles. Contractors from Afcons began piling work for the ramp. However, due to only 60% of the site being available, only partial construction can proceed, with only two rows of piling instead of the planned four. For the complete construction of the ramp, RVNL requires a 14-meter wide area, but currently only has permission to barricade 8 meters. Once the hoarding pillar is removed, an additional 6 meters can be cordoned off, allowing proper diversion of cars through the new road space, as explained by an official. When asked for comment, a PWD engineer stated that the matter would be addressed after the elections. (Source: TOI)