Kolkata, 3 May (H.S.):
The Kolkata Metro Rail authorities are awaiting final approval from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to commence operations on the remaining section of the East-West Metro Corridor between Howrah Maidan and Sector 5. Officials shared the update on Saturday.
The 16.6-km-long corridor remains incomplete between Esplanade and Sealdah. This stretch has seen repeated delays due to incidents of land subsidence caused by persistent water seepage. Currently, metro services are operational at both ends of the corridor—between Salt Lake Sector 5 and Sealdah, and from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade. The Howrah Maidan–Esplanade segment connects Howrah Railway Station directly to Kolkata.
Once the 2.6-km Esplanade–Sealdah section becomes operational, seamless metro connectivity from Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector 5 will be a reality. This corridor is primarily underground and notably passes beneath the Hooghly River.
Recently, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) granted clearance for operations on the incomplete section. An official stated that if the PMO’s final nod is secured soon, full-scale metro services across the entire route could begin within the next two months. “The decision now rests with the PMO, and we are awaiting their approval,” the official added.
In the meantime, final safety procedures are underway, and authorities are awaiting a ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the Fire Services Department. A senior fire official noted, “This is a routine process. We are closely coordinating with Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation and Metro Railway Kolkata.”
The East-West Metro project is being implemented by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC). CRS Sumeet Singhal gave the operational clearance following an extensive inspection of the Esplanade–Sealdah section on April 28.
Notably, during tunneling work for this section, an incident occurred when a tunnel boring machine hit an underground water reservoir, causing cracks in several houses in the Bowbazar area.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
