New Garia-Dakshineswar Metro extension likely to open by Durga Puja

Kolkata: The existing New Garia (Kavi Subhas) Noapara metro route's extension to Dakshineswar is likely to start operation before the Durga Puja this year.

Work for the 3.78 km project is almost complete and with the Talla Bridge completely closed, engineers from Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), which is executing the project is fast-tracking it. Baranagar station will fall between Noapara and Dakshineswar stations in the current extension.

"There was a delay in the construction of a viaduct and there were problems in building tracks over the busy BT Road. But the hurdles have now been cleared. The laying of tracks have been done and installation of signalling and electrical systems are also in its final stage. The mandatory trial run needs to be done before throwing the project open for commuters," an official of RVNL said.

Dakshineswar is one of the major religious tourism destinations in the state. There will be facilities of an elevator and one of the ticket counters at Dakshineswar station has been made at a height so that a person on a wheelchair can purchase tickets easily. "The station is just adjacent to the Dakshineswar station of the Eastern Railways and the design of the station has been done maintaining parity with the Dakshineswar temple," the official added.

The metro authorities plan to run trains till Dakshineswar at five minutes intervals at least during peak hours.

The RVNL authorities are in talks with the state government to clear the decks regarding the Baranagar – Barrackpore metro corridor that has hardly progressed though a decade has gone since the project was conceived in 2009-10.

RVNL had submitted to the state Chief Secretary in July 2019, that a new pipeline at alternate alignment on the bank of river Hooghly shall be constructed by RVNL or by the state government so that the worksite can be made free for the metro corridor. The matter is still under consideration.

RVNL has recently proposed that they will move the existing pipeline of Kolkata Municipal Corporation at the centre of BT Road at their own cost or the state may do the needful and the payment will be made by the Metro authorities.

The total length of the Baranagar – Barrackpore corridor will be 12.5 km and the number of stations proposed in the route is 10.

"Commuting from south to the suburbs of the northern part of the city will be eased if the Baranagar – Barrackpore corridor becomes a reality," a senior Metro official said.