Kolkata the city of joy is one of the metropolitan cities of India. Kolkata is the seventh most populated city of India with a population of 4.5 million, according to the 2011 census. It is one of the busiest cities in the country. Transportation in metropolitan cities is of huge concern. For such a huge number of citizens, it requires a highly developed transportation system.
Public transport in Kolkata is provided by Kolkata Suburban Railways, The Kolkata Metro, trams, rickshaws, taxis, and buses. The Suburban railway reaches the corners of Kolkata suburbs.
The Kolkata Metro is one of the oldest modes of rapid transit. Introduced in the late 90s, precisely on 24th October of 1984, The Kolkata Metro continues to provide transportation facilities to a huge crowd of Kolkata every day.
Kolkata metro serves the maximum number of commuters on a daily basis. It is the cheapest and fastest method of transit. Kolkata seems to go blind without the metro facility.
Presently the Kolkata Metro has one line under operation, one under partial operation, and three remain under construction. The system uses 1676 mm (broad gauge) tracks. The electricity is supplied by the third rail, carrying 750 V DC. Trains, 8 coaches either travel on the ground, underground, and on elevated viaducts. The maximum speed of the metro rails is 80 km/h, while the frequency varies from 3 to 15 minutes. Every day, over 7 lakh people travel on Kolkata Metro.
The Kolkata Metro has its headquarter at Nehru Road, as Metro Railway Bhavan.
Daily timings, from MONDAY to SATURDAY - 6.45 AM to 9.55 PM
On SUNDAYS - 9.45 AM to 9.55 PM
The fare varies between Rs 5 to 30.
♦ Line 1, North-South Corridor: Noapara to Kavi Subash
Operational Line
- Route Length: 27.22 km
- Total number of stations: 24 Stations
- Stations at, Grade- 2, Elevated- 7, Underground- 15
- Stations: Kavi Subash, Shahid Khudiram, Kazi Nazrul, Gitanjali
Masterda Surya Sen, Netaji, Mahanayak Uttam Kumar
Rabindra Sarobar, Kalighat, Jatin Das Park, Netaji Bhawan,
Rabindra Sadan, Maidan, Park Street, Esplanade, Chandni Chowk, Central, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Girish Park, Sobhabazaar Sutanuti, Shyambazaar, Belgachia, Dum Dum, Noapara.
♦ Line 2, East-West Corridor: JBS to Falaknuma (via MG Bus Station)
Semi-operational Line
- Route length: 16.72 km (operational - 5.8 km)
- Total number of stations: 12 Stations
- Operational Stations: Sector V, Karunamoyee, Central Park, City Centre, Bengal Chemical, Salt Lake Stadium.
- Under Construction Stations: Phoolbagan, Sealdah, Esplanade, Mahakaran, Howrah, Howrah Maidan.
♦ Line 3, Joka to Esplanade:
Line Under Construction
- Route length: 16.72 km
- Total number of stations: 14 Station
- Stations: Diamond Park, Joka, Thakurpukur Bazaar, Sakher Bzaar, Choerasta, Behala Bazaar, Taratala, Majerhat, Mominpur, Kidderpore, Victoria, Park street, Esplanade.
Line Under Construction
- Route Length: 16.215 km
- Total number of stations: 10 Stations
- Stations: Noapara, Dum Dum Cantonment, Jessore Road, Biman Bandar, Birati, Micheal Nagar, New Barrackpore, Madyagram, Hridaypur, Barasat.
♦ Line 5, Baranagar to Barackpore:
Line Under Construction
- Route Length: 12.40 km
- Total number of stations: 11 (All Elevated)
- Stations: Baranagar, Kamarhati, Agarpara, Sodepur, Panihati, Subash Nagar, Khardah, Tata Gate, Titagarh, Talpukur, Barrackpore.
♦ Line 6, Airport Metro- Kavi subash to Biman Bandar:
Line under construction
- Route Length: 29.87 km
- Total number of stations: 24
Station, at grade: 1, Elevated: 22, and Underground: 1
- Stations: Kavi Subash, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Mukundapur, Kalikapur, Ruby Hospital, VIP Bazaar, Bantala, Science City, Beliaghata, Chingrighata, Nicco Park, Salt Lake Sector V, Technopolis, Bidhan Nagar, Sub CBD, CBD 1, CBD 2, New Town, Convention Centre, Sub CBD 2, City Centre, Rabindra Tirtha, VIP Road, Biman Bandar Airport.
What is the Budget Allocation For the under Construction Metro Lines in Kolkata?
1542 Crores is allocated for the Kolkata Metro Rail Work of developing five metro lines in Kolkata for the year 2020-2021. The budget amount has been reduced by 98 crores when compared to the budget of last year, i.e., 2019-2020.
The Railway Officials reports, the ministry assured there will be no issue with the budget only if the land is available and work can proceed. But the Ministry fails to stick to its words.
This is expected to a larger delay in the competition of the project work.
The approximated amounts produced by the ministry for carrying forward the Kolkata Metro Rail works are as follows:
Amount Allocated (Approximately)
| Project Names | Year: 2019-2020 | Year: 2020-2021 |
| East-West Line | Rs 900 Crore | Rs 905 Crore |
| Joka- Esplanade Line | Rs 100 Crore | Rs 99 Crore |
| Noapara- Barasat Line | Rs 225 Crore | Rs 200 Crore |
| New Garia- Airport Line | Rs 345 Crore | Rs 328 Crore |
| Baranagar- Barrackpore Line | Rs 65 Crore | Rs 10 Crore |
Current Status of the Kolkata Under Construction Metro Lines:
Kolkata Metro Line 2, East-west Kolkata Metro Project:
Line 2 is a project to join Kolkata and its adjacent city Howrah. It has an estimated budget of Rupees 4874.6 Crore. The implementing agency of the referred project is KMRC (Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation).
The constriction of the east-west metro line began in the year 2009 and has been facing issues due to slum relocation and land acquisition issues.
During the construction of the east boundary tunnel, a TBM hits an acquire under Bowbazaar which led to a major collapse in the particular area. This led to the delay in the works for several months and also led to an increment in the budget, making it to 8996.96 Crore of rupees.
It is the first line to run underwater, making it the first Underwater metro in India. Between Mahakaran and Howrah Station the metro will run under the Hoogly River.
After 11 years from the beginning of its construction, on the 13th of February 2020, the line was inaugurated by Piyush Ghosal, Minister of Railway, for the partially completer metro line 2 from Salt Lake Sector V to Salt Lake Stadium.
Kolkata Metro Line 3, Joka- Esplanade Kolkata Metro Project:
The Metro line from Joka to BBD Bagh was sanctioned in the year 2010, for a budget of rupees 2619.02 crores. Later the road was only restricted till Esplanade in an integrated plan.
Due to the problem of land acquisition, the project kept on getting delayed since the year 2017. The Project is entrusted to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.
The project resumed in small bits and phases. There is nothing much progress in the Joka- Esplanade Project.
The Mominpur Metro Station which was planned to be built is now at a halt as the Ministry of Ordnance objected against it, reporting it would overlook the Ordnance Depot.
After, a lot of discussions between the Ministry of Defence and Transportation Ministry of West Bengal, it has been decided that the station would shift a km northward near Alipore Bodyguard Line.
Kolkata Metro Line 4, Noapara-Barasat Kolkata Metro Project:
With a budget of Rupees 2397.72 crores, the project Noapara to Barasat Kolkata metro project was sanctioned in the year 2010-2011.
Due to repetitive delay, the budget has scaled up to 4829.57 crore of rupees. Due to an objection by AAI, the line needed to be reworked and replanned for construction stations for the metro line. At the beginning of 2020, geotechnical works were invited.
Kolkata Metro Line 5, Branagar to Barrackpore Kolkata Metro Project:
It is the northward extension plan from Baranagar towards Barrackpore. It was also sanctioned in the year 2010-2011, with a budget of 2069.6 crores of rupees.
This line was aimed to facilitate quick transit to South Kolkata from the farthest suburbs of North Kolkata.
The corridor of Line 5 is the responsibility of Rail Vikas Nigan Limited.
Since no physical was insisted till 2020 and the construction of the line would create a major problem for the water pipes lines along the Barrackpore Grand Truck Road, so the other way has been created. That is to channelize the line through Kalyani Expressway. 11 metro stations were planned in this route.
Kolkata Metro Line 6, Kavi Subash to Biman Bandar Kolkata Metro Project:
The line was simply planned to facilitate a hassle-free journey to South Kolkata People to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. It was channelized from New Garia to Airport, via, EM Bypass, Salt Lake, New Town. The work has already been initiated. It has an estimated budget of 2 billion, with 24 stations in between.
The Biman Bandar Metro station with have a stabling yard and largest underground facility in the country.
Following the objecting from AAI, the routes of the line also being reworked. Line 6 entrust authority decides to make the station of Biman Bandar an underground station, which will be the only underground station in the entire corridor.
Hoping for quick progress in the works and completing of all the under-construction Metro projects we look forward to a better Kolkata, with less traffic and happy commuters.
Do you know, one of the busiest metro stations of the North-South Running Metro rail corridor is haunted. Click to know more, The Dark STORIES OF RABINDRA SAROBOR METRO STATION.