Kolkata Metro: Railway officials inspect Howrah Maidan-Esplanade extension

Railway officials inspected an east-west section subwayOn February 5, Kolkata and Howrah were connected through a tunnel under the Hooghly river.

According to an official statement, this particular segment, which is eagerly awaiting the launch of commercial services, has been reviewed.

An important section of the East-West Metro, which is 4.8 km long from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade and connects Kolkata and Howrah through a tunnel under the Hooghly river, was inspected under the guidance of Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) Janak Kumar Garg.

The inspection included a detailed assessment of the section of tunnel under the river, covering elements such as lighting, ventilation and train systems.

When CCRS and his team arrived at the Esplanade, they inspected the entrance and exit gates, as well as passenger interchange points between the East-West Line and the North-South Line, among others. The meeting reiterated that CCRS approval is required before commissioning and commencing commercial services.

Kolkata’s East-West Metro: Details here

Kolkata’s East-West Metro is a unique engineering feat with a 10.8-km underground corridor stretching from Howrah Maidan to Phoolbagan under the Hooghly River. This historic achievement will see India’s first train crossing the river tunnel in April 2023, embodying the innovative spirit of the Kolkata Metro.

The Kolkata Metro will enhance its technological capabilities by introducing an automated train operation (ATO) system on the V-Sealdah section in Salt Lake City, Financial Express reported. The ATO system enables automatic acceleration, deceleration, control and arrangement of driving activities.

After the driver presses and holds the “ATO departure” button, the subway train will automatically travel between stations in ATO mode, and the doors will automatically open when it arrives. This approach reduces the physical effort required by the driver, who simply presses the “close door” button before the train starts.

Two major turning points in the history of urban transportation in Kolkata were the planned opening of the entire east-west metro corridor and the installation of the ATO system. Passengers can look forward to a more reliable, efficient and faster commute that will drive cities’ transition to a modern future.

According to the Times of India, the East-West Metro project fetched Rs 9 billion, compared with Rs 1,000 crore last year and Rs 1,100 crore the year before. Meanwhile, the interim budget includes adequate funding for Kolkata’s major metro projects (Singaria Airport and Joka-Esplanade corridor).