A method of forming a memory device includes forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate forming memory stack structures through the alternating stack, forming a first backside trench and a second backside trench through the alternating stack, forming backside recesses by removing the sacrificial material layers, depositing a backside blocking dielectric layer after formation of the backside recesses, forming a liner that a lesser lateral extent than a lateral distance between the first backside trench and the second backside trench; and selectively growing a metal from surfaces of the liners while either not growing or growing at a lower rate the metal from surfaces of the backside recesses that are not covered by the liners.