Kolkata: Metro Railway Kolkata is optimistic about starting operations on three new stretches by the end of this month, a senior Metro official said on Wednesday.
The progress gained momentum following a two-day visit by Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar, during which he inspected the East-West Metro’s Esplanade-Sealdah section and the Noapara-Airport stretch.
“We are hopeful that with the Commissioner of Railway Safety giving nod to the East-West Metro’s 2.6 km stretch between Esplanade and Sealdah earlier and after the visit of the Railway Board Chairman, the entire Green Line connecting
Howrah Maidan–Salt Lake Sector V will be open for commuters by August itself,” the spokesperson told a news agency.
“This will help Salt Lake-bound commuters who currently have to get down at Esplanade from the Howrah side and then navigate congested traffic to reach Sealdah for a connecting metro to Sector V. It will ease their hardships and improve connectivity to a great extent,” the spokesperson added.
Similarly, the Yellow Line’s first phase—the Noapara-Airport corridor—and the Orange Line’s Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby More)-Beleghata corridor, covering 4.5 km, have received all mandatory clearances and are now awaiting the PMO’s nod to start operations by September, he said.