Kolkata Metro Conducts First Trial Run on Sealdah

Metro Railway (MR), Kolkata, achieved a significant milestone on the East-West Corridor (Green Line) between Salt Lake Sector-V and Howrah Maidan by successfully conducting the first trial run through the west-bound tunnel between Sealdah and Esplanade stations. P. Uday Kumar Reddy, General Manager of MR and Chairman of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (KMRCL), joined the motorman’s cabin for the 11-minute trial journey. The eventual run time is expected to be shorter once commercial operations begin, pending clearances from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) and the Ministry of Railways, likely in the coming months. Currently, the Green Line operates truncated services between Salt Lake Sector-V and Sealdah and between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade. Progress on the 2.63 km stretch between Sealdah and Esplanade was delayed due to subsidence in the Bowbazar area, a challenge MR and KMRCL overcame using advanced technology. The Green Line holds the distinction of being India’s first underwater metro link, running beneath the Hooghly River between Mahakaran and Howrah stations. Commercial services on this link, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2024, make it India’s first Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) to connect Kolkata and Howrah, with the potential for suburban expansion along the Hooghly’s west bank. After the trial run, Reddy chaired a meeting at Esplanade station, congratulating MR and KMRCL officials on their efforts. He urged them to prepare for the imminent launch of commercial services, expected to cater to a high volume of commuters.

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