Kolkata: Commercial runs in three Metro routes, including Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, Kavi Subhash to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby) and Taratala to Majerhat started from Friday. All the three lines were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 6.
A total of 130 services–65 from Howrah Maidan and 65 from Esplanade–will be available on this stretch from Monday to Saturday. Services will be available at 12 to 15 minute intervals in both directions. It will be available from Howrah Maidan and Esplanade stations alternatively on East and West-bound lines. Service will start from 7 am and run till 9:45 pm.
The project cost for the Howrah Maidan to Esplanade stretch was Rs 4,965 crore. This stretch has the deepest Metro station in India at Howrah. The Sealdah to Salt Lake Sector V section of the stretch was already operational. With the inauguration of Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, the only stretch remaining in this corridor is Esplanade to Sealdah, which is currently under construction. Once the work is completed, the East-West Metro Corridor will attach Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector V, connecting two busiest Railway Stations–Howrah and Sealdah. Total number of daily services available from Kavi Subhash to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay will be 48 from Monday to Friday. Services will be available at 20 minute intervals. It will start from 9 am till 4:40 pm. Meanwhile, from Joka to Majerhat, 36 services will be available from Monday to Friday at 25 minute intervals, starting from 8:30 am to 3:35 pm.