In the coming months, you might be able to traverse by Metro under the Hooghly river, and ride a metro to Airport from Dumdum! Yes, in a major step toward completing the ongoing Metro projects, the officials of Metro Railway said that there are possibilities of Kolkata getting more Metro stations and corridors by 2023 end.
Firstly, the stretch between New Garia- Ruby of the 32 km long New Garia- Airport via Newtown Metro Corridor is likely to be commissioned within the next few weeks. The CRS NF circle had already inspected this 5.4km truncated stretch, the nod might come any day after which a date of commercial launch will be decided by the Metro authorities. PM Modi might inaugurate this line. Metro is also eyeing a New Garia- Sector V run by October.
The long-awaited run of East-West Metro under Hooghly is set to become reality by end of this year. A December 2023 target has been set, said the CPRO of Kolkata Metro Railway, Kaushik Mitra, after Line 2 was allotted 1000 Cr. Rs. in the budget. Line 2 currently runs on a truncated stretch between Sealdah and Sector V. The construction work of this line was hampered several times due to subsidences at Bowbazar. Once completed this will connect Howrah Maidan in the West with Salt Lake Sector V in the east.
By October, Metro is planning a massive expansion of the city’s rapid transit. The Noapara- Airport section of the Noapara- Barasat Line is expected to be completed and ready for commercial operations this year. This stretch has been allotted a whopping 602 Cr. Rs in the Union Budget by the Central Government. Lampooned by people as “Joy Ride”, the Joka- Taratala section of the Purple line is expected to reach Majerhat before Puja as per Metro Railway. Connecting Majerhat will make Line 3 meaningful as the latter will be changing points with the Eastern Railway. “These extensions and opening of new routes will be this year’s Puja Gift to the people of Kolkata,” said the general manager.
The extension of the Metro Railway will definitely come as a boon for the city. It’s expected to bring down congestion and pollution that are choking the city as well as increase people’s ease of living.
