The construction of the final unfinished section of the East-West Metro corridor, linking Esplanade and Sealdah, has been accelerated with the goal of completing civil engineering work by the year-end, Metro officials stated. The 2-kilometer stretch, a crucial link in the East-West (Green Line) corridor, is the only segment yet to be completed.
Metro Railway authorities have set an ambitious timeline for the west-bound (Howrah-bound) tunnel, aiming to wrap up civil engineering tasks by December and complete the east-bound (Salt Lake-bound) tunnel by early January. According to engineers, the remaining electrical and signaling work will follow the civil engineering phase, with a mandatory inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) planned for March 2024. “We’re prioritising safety and efficiency, and this inspection will be vital to ensure that everything is in place before we commence commercial operations,” a senior Metro engineer said.
Currently, the East-West corridor is partially operational, with trains running between Sector V and Sealdah and between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade. However, the final link, particularly a 200-meter stretch in Bowbazar, has been a challenge for engineers due to water seepage incidents. Four instances of water seepage since 2019 have caused significant delays and construction setbacks.
The ongoing construction has also led to a temporary truncation of services on the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade route, which started Monday. This adjustment, though causing overcrowding on trains and platforms, has been deemed necessary to expedite the project. “We’re doing our best to manage the situation and ensure passenger safety,” said a Metro Railway official.
Metro General Manager P. Uday Kumar Reddy personally inspected the Bowbazar site on October 22, underscoring the administration’s commitment to progress. Once complete, the East-West Metro corridor will provide Kolkata commuters with a seamless transit link between Salt Lake and Howrah, a long-awaited goal in the city’s transportation infrastructure.
