Kolkata: For the second time this month, Kolkata Metro Railway is set to enhance services on the Purple Line’s Joka–Majerhat stretch. Starting Tuesday, May 13, 62 trains will run daily on weekdays, along with extended operational hours in the morning and evening.
According to officials, weekday services (Monday to Friday) will increase from 40 to 62 trains, with trains running every 24 minutes between 7:57 am and 8 pm. This marks a significant expansion from the current schedule, which operates between 8:27 am and 3:43 pm. However, services on this corridor will continue to remain suspended on Saturdays and Sundays.
From May 13, The first train from Majerhat will depart at 7:57 am, advancing from the previous 8:27 am start. The first train from Joka will leave at 8 am, earlier than the previous 8:30 am departure. The last trains from both Majerhat and Joka will now run at 8 pm, replacing the earlier last service at 3:28 pm.
This development follows an earlier enhancement introduced on May 5, when weekday services were increased from 18 to 40 trains and intervals were reduced from 50 minutes to 22 minutes. However, that upgrade had drawn criticism for not extending operating hours.
The Joka–Majerhat section, part of the larger Joka–Esplanade Metro corridor, has experienced low ridership due to limited services, despite connecting key transit hubs such as Majerhat railway station (on the Sealdah–Budge Budge rail line) and Rabindra Sarobar on the North–South Metro line. Metro officials hope the latest expansion will boost usage.
Welcoming the move, Subhasis Sengupta, vice-president of the Metro Railway Progotisil Sramik Karmachari Union, said the step would benefit daily commuters but raised concerns over staff shortages. “While we support the increase in services, the staff crunch is serious and must be addressed. Services should also ideally be extended till 10 pm to better serve residents of the Joka and Behala areas,” he added.