Wheels of Kolkata Metro roll again after nearly six months

Kolkata: After a gap of nearly six months, metro services in the city will resume from Monday with the first rake starting from the terminal stations at 8 am sharp. However, the stage for the commercial run was set on Sunday with metro running special services for NEET examinees from 10 am till 7 pm at 15 minutes interval.

Candidates were allowed entry only after they furnished their respective admit cards. Those who did not possess smart cards were provided paper tickets at the counter for travelling. About 1,648 passengers availed metro services on Sunday and the total earnings was Rs 68,660.

Passengers will have to book e-passes in advance before travelling. "We will allow only smart card users to travel by metro, New smart cards can be bought from stations — at counters and smart card vending machines at some stations. Existing smart card users can recharge at stations or online — from the Metro app and website," said a senior official. The smart card will be for access to the platform. A person needs a "QR code-based colour coded e-pass" for entering the station. There will be 12 colour codes, each for entry during one slot. The colour for each slot will be known by cops posted at the gates.The official said that the pass is only for entry into the station which the passenger will have to show right at the station gate. For platform access, a smart card is a must.

Metro is expected to carry 100,000 to 120,000 people every day down from the pre-Covid daily count of over 600,000. 50 passengers will be allowed in each of the eight coaches and they have to keep the space of one seat in between. Wearing of masks is mandatory and passengers will have to undergo thermal scanning at the station entrances.

The first and last trains will be leaving the terminal stations at 8am and 7pm, respectively. Services were closed from March 23 as a preventive measure against COVID-19.