CMRS carried inspection on Howrah Maidan – Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro Line 2

Kolkata, India (Metro Rail Today): The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), Janak Kumar Garg, has concluded the final safety inspection of Howrah Maidan – Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro Line-2 (Also known as East-West Metro Corridor). This two-day inspection marks a crucial step towards the opening of the 3.9 km underground stretch with four new stations, namely Howrah Maidan, Howrah, Mahakaran, and Esplanade.

The Howrah Maidan – Esplanade section, part of Kolkata Metro's East-West Line, is set to become the fourth and penultimate leg to open for commercial operations in the coming weeks. The inspection follows the successful completion of trial runs initiated by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) in April 2023.

The statutory inspection, conducted on Monday and Tuesday, encompassed a comprehensive assessment of passenger amenities, control rooms, safety facilities, and track infrastructure. The inspection also included a motor trolley inspection of tracks and an evaluation of the Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling system installed by Hitachi Rail STS.

The highlight of the inspection was a speed trial run, during which one of the line's fourteen BEML trains reached a maximum speed of 90 kmph from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade.

Afcons Infrastructure and ITD Cementation India played pivotal roles in the construction of stations under different packages. Afcons, as part of Package UG-1, constructed Howrah Maidan, Howrah, and Mahakaran stations. ITD Cementation India, under Package UG-2, was responsible for the construction of Esplanade Station.

Tunneling for the twin tunnels was executed by Afcons using tunnel boring machines S-639 (Rachna) and S-640 (Prerna) between 2016-2018. Notably, these machines, after refurbishment, were redeployed for tunneling in Kanpur Metro as TBM S-639B (Vidyarthi) and TBM S-640B (Azad).

While the inspection has concluded successfully, approvals from the CMRS are typically conditional. The next steps involve KMRC addressing any conditions laid out, swiftly performing remediation work, and submitting a compliance report to the CMRS before the commencement of operations.

Post-inauguration, Kolkata Metro's Green Line will span 13 km, featuring two disjointed sections due to ongoing construction activities in the Bowbazar neighborhood. Tunnel re-enforcement and cross-passage works are underway, addressing challenges that arose in August 2019 when tunneling works were disrupted due to soil displacement and building collapses caused by aquifer hits during ITD Cementation's TBM Chandi (S-615) operation.

The imminent completion of the Howrah Maidan – Esplanade section heralds a significant milestone for Kolkata Metro's Green Line, promising enhanced connectivity and convenience for the city's commuters.