Kolkata Metro Railway has begun inspecting the final 2.6 km stretch between Esplanade and Sealdah, the last link needed to complete the 16.6 km East-West Metro corridor from Sector V to Howrah Maidan. 

The inspection is being conducted ahead of safety clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), an independent authority under India’s Civil Aviation Ministry. CRS approval is essential before passenger services can begin on the new metro section. 

The Rs 100 billion East-West Metro project, implemented by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC), currently operates in two separate sections. Completion of this missing stretch will enable seamless travel across the entire corridor. 

Engineers are inspecting the tracks, electrification, and key systems on both Sector V-bound and Howrah-bound routes. A detailed report on software upgrades for the automatic signalling system across all 12 East-West Metro stations will also be submitted to the CRS. 

Following these assessments, the CRS will conduct its own trial runs before granting the final safety clearance needed for the corridor’s full-scale operations. 

(news18)