New Delhi, March 23 The Supreme Court on Monday criticized the West Bengal government for "creating obstacles" in the ongoing construction of a corridor for the Kolkata Metro rail project and asked it not to politicize a developmental issue that benefits the common people.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, which dismissed a plea by the state government, directed the Calcutta High Court to monitor the project's construction.
"We are simply pointing out that the high court has been very generous to you (the state government). This was a suitable case where your chief secretary, DGP, and other officials should have been held accountable.
"This shows a complete dereliction of your constitutional duty. You are shirking your responsibilities. This is merely an attempt to politicize an issue where there is no such issue. We would not appreciate the state government politicizing a developmental issue that benefits the common people," the CJI told the counsel representing the Bengal government.
CJI Kant said, "We must not politicize everything. This is a developmental issue. It is a facility for the common people. Don't create obstacles."
When the counsel attempted to argue that the state was under the model code of conduct for the upcoming elections, and that board examinations were underway, the bench pointed out that the high court order was dated December 23, 2025, and asked, "What prevented the state government from complying with the directions since then?"
Justice Bagchi said that the Election Commission of India cannot object to this development project, which has been ongoing and is being monitored by the high court.
"For you, festivals are more important than development. It is not that you are willing; you are duty-bound. You told the high court that you have festivals to take care of. Is a festival more important than the construction of a transport artery?
“We do not appreciate a democratically elected government knocking on the door of the court and asking for this to be ignored. The Election Commission will not have difficulty in allowing the project. This was a project launched before the commencement of the model code of conduct. We will not allow the state to use this as a tactic to stall development again," Justice Bagchi said.
The counsel for the state government said that the project cannot proceed as roads will be blocked for construction, through which ambulances and emergency vehicles traverse.
She sought time until May to comply with the high court's directions, but the top court refused to grant the request and said it would dismiss the appeal filed by the state government against the December 23, 2025, order.
The bench said, "This merely exhibits the obstinate attitude of the authorities, wherein they want to delay and stall the Kolkata Metro rail project. There was no flaw in the order passed by the high court; we are sure that the project is completed in a time-bound manner."
On December 23, the high court expressed concern at the delay in the completion of the project connecting the IT hub of Sector V in Salt Lake with vast areas in south Kolkata, owing to an impasse over police permission for road closures, and directed that the work be completed by February 15, 2026.
It directed the state authorities to inform the Metro Railway by January 6, as to which three days, as required to complete the work at the busy Chingrighata crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan bypass, the traffic block will be given.
The court directed that the work for completing the construction of the overhead Metro tracks be completed by February 15, 2026.
The petitioners in the PIL claimed that though work for the Metro line connecting Kavi Subhash with Sector V has mostly been completed, the impasse over construction at the Chingrighata crossing across the EM bypass has been pending for a long time.