Kolkata Metro all set to launch New Garia - Ruby Metro stretch in February-end

Kolkata, India (Metro Rail Today): The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has given his safety clearance to Kolkata Metro Railway for opening of 5.4 kilometres Kavi Subash to Hemanta Mukherjee stretch of Kolkata Metro's Orange Line today. The 5.4 km stretch is a part of Kavi Subhash – Dumdum Airport via Rajarhat new Metro line.

“Commissioner of Railway Safety’s (CRS) authorization for opening the New Garia – Hemanta Mukhopadhyay stretch has been received today. Addressing all the observations of CRS, Metro Railway shall request the Ministry of Railways for the inauguration of this line,” said Kolkata Metro official statement.

The Kolkata Metro Railway is now planning to launch this stretch to the public by February-end. However, the exact date and time are not yet decided. The updates comes after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) authorized the opening of a 5.4 km section for commercial services.

On January 30, 2023, Commissioner of Railway Safety Suvomoy Mitra had conducted a mandatory safety inspection of the route and inspected passenger amenities, the Station Control Room, firefighting arrangements, panels, etc. of various stations. Mitra also conducted a trolley inspection of the tracks.

According to Arun Arora, General Manager, the Railway Board is examining the proposal for an integrated fare structure for the Blue (the Kavi Subhas-Dakshineswar) and Orange (New Garia-Ruby crossing) lines. For the first time in Kolkata, two Metro lines will be integrated when services start on the New Garia-Ruby section.

"There will be one ticket instead of two, from Dakshineswar to Ruby. As soon as the fare structure gets approved and we comply with the observations made by the CRS, we will inform the Railway Board about the readiness by February 14," said Arun Arora, General Manager, Kolkata Metro Railway.

He said the services will be similar to the recently commissioned 6.7km Joka-Taratala stretch of the Joka-Esplanade corridor (Purple line). "But it will be like East-West Metro once the CBTC (automatic signalling) is commissioned by December in 2024. It takes time because the rolling stock also gets modified so that there is a continuous communication between the two trains and the control room," Arora said.

"We should get six to seven Dalian rakes and some from ICF as well, this year. We also need staff to man the new lines. Despite the non-availability of automatic signals and rakes, our existing resources are being used," he added.

The Joka-Taratala section's extension till Majerhat will happen by October, this year. "The 2023-24 Budget has been a standalone one for Metro, with a 164% rise in allocations. Both the Joka-Esplanade and the New Garia-Airport Metro corridors received the highest hike in allocations," he said.

There are a total of five metro stations on this newly built Kavi Subash to Hemanta Mukherjee stretch at Kavi Subhash (New Garia Area), Satyajit Ray (Hiland Park Area), Jyotirindra Nandi (Metro Cash and Carry and Ajoy Nagar Area), Kavi Sukanta (Abhishikta Crossing Area) and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Rubi Area)

This is also going to be the first time that the two Metro lines of the Kolkata metro network will be linked at Kavi Subhash station.

Kolkata Metro added a total of 14.23 km new metro rail network last year including the opening of metro services on a 6.5 km stretch of Joka to Taratala Section and on the Sealdah to Phoolbagan link.

For more details, please explore the Kolkata Metro page of Metro Rail Today.