Kolkata Metro Railway Achieves Key Trial Run Between Sealdah and Esplanade
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Synopsis
On January 21, Kolkata Metro Railway reached a significant milestone with the first trial run of the East-West Corridor between Sealdah and Esplanade. General Manager P Uday Kumar Reddy oversaw the 11-minute journey, marking progress towards full commercial services expected soon.
Key Takeaways
- First trial run conducted on the East-West Corridor.
- Significant reduction in travel time anticipated.
- India’s first underwater Metro link.
- Advanced technology used to overcome construction hurdles.
- Commercial services expected to commence soon.
Kolkata, Jan 21 (NationPress) Metro Railway (MR), Kolkata, achieved a significant milestone in the development of the East-West Corridor or Green Line connecting Salt Lake Sector-V and Howrah Maidan on Tuesday by successfully executing the first trial run through the west-bound tunnel between the Sealdah and Esplanade stations.
P Uday Kumar Reddy, general manager of MR and chairman of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (KMRCL), was present in the motorman's cabin for the 11-minute journey covering the distance.
The travel time will be significantly reduced once commercial operations commence, pending necessary clearances from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) and the Ministry of Railways, which is anticipated within the next few months. Currently, the Green Line operates limited services between Salt Lake Sector-V and Sealdah and between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade.
The construction of the 2.63 km segment between Sealdah and Esplanade faced delays due to subsidence in the Bowbazar area. However, MR and KMRCL have successfully navigated this obstacle by employing advanced technology.
Notably, the Green Line is India’s first underwater Metro connection, traversing beneath the River Hooghly/Ganga between Mahakaran and Howrah station (part of the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade segment).
Commercial services on this route were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2024. The Green Line is also the inaugural Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) linking the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah, with prospects for expansion into the suburbs along the west bank of the Hooghly.
The trial commenced from Sealdah at 11:20 AM and concluded at Esplanade at 11:31 AM. The rake was subsequently returned to Sealdah via the west-bound tunnel. Trials for the east-bound tunnel have already been completed and it is now routinely used for rake exchanges. Rakes utilized for commercial services in the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan segment are returned to the depot at Salt Lake for maintenance as needed, with replacement rakes dispatched through this tunnel to Esplanade.
A senior MR official indicated that Reddy held a meeting with senior officials at the Esplanade station following the trial run's conclusion. During this gathering, he commended all MR and KMRCL officials for their contributions and urged them to start preparations for the impending commercial services, which are expected to experience a surge in commuter traffic.
