Kolkata Metro’s Blue Line to get CBTC signalling within 3-4 years: Metro GM

Kolkata: The Kolkata Metro’s Blue Line—the city’s oldest and busiest corridor—will be upgraded with a modern Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system within the next three to four years, Metro Railway General Manager (GM) Subhransu Sekhar Mishra announced on Friday.

Speaking at a programme held at New Esplanade Metro Station to mark Metro Railway’s 41st Foundation Day, Mishra said the CBTC project for the Blue Line has already been sanctioned. “The Blue Line is almost 40 years old. RITES is working on strengthening its infrastructure and operations. Eventually, the line will also have CBTC—it is all in the pipeline,” he said.

The Blue Line currently operates between Dakshineswar and Shahid Khudiram, with passenger services to its original southern terminal at Kavi Subhash (New Garia) suspended since July 28 after cracks were detected in several of the station’s supporting piers. “Work on the Kavi Subhash terminal may begin next week. The crossover at Shahid Khudiram will take two to three days and will be completed before the work starts,” Mishra added.

The Kolkata Metro Railway network now spans about 74 km following the addition of three new stretches in August. Outlining the Metro’s expansion plans, the GM said another 57 km has been sanctioned across different corridors, of which work on around 29 km is currently in progress. “By December 2026, about 19 km out of those 29 km will be commissioned. We expect to operationalise the entire Orange Line up to the airport by then,” he said.

The Orange Line currently runs between Kavi Subhash and Beleghata. Mishra confirmed that the state government has approved a traffic block at Chingrighata during the second and third weeks of November to facilitate the bridging of a 366-metre viaduct gap.

He further stated that the Purple Line, now operational between Joka and Majerhat, is expected to be extended to Esplanade by December 2029, while the link between Michael Nagar and the airport on the Yellow Line is also likely to be completed around the same time

The Kolkata Metro began its first commercial service between Esplanade and Bhowanipore (now Netaji Bhavan) on October 24, 1984. Marking the 41st Foundation Day, eminent filmmaker Ashoke Viswanathan congratulated Metro Railway for 41 years of service and noted that Kolkata’s Metro remains deeply intertwined with the city’s culture.

A magic show was also organised to promote commuter participation in maintaining cleanliness across Metro premises and to encourage passengers to use Smart Cards instead of paper tickets and tokens.