About 11.45 km to be added to existing Kolkata Metro network

Kolkata: A total of 11.45 kilometre will be added to the existing Kolkata Metro network with inauguration of three sections of three Metro Corridors – Purple Line, Orange Line and Green Line - on Wednesday.

Metro Railway Kolkata is the first Metro system in India which started its journey on October 24, 1984. Initially started with the Blue Line which connects Kavi Subhash to Dakshineswar at present, a section of Green Line-Sealdah to Phoolbagan - was inaugurated on July 14, 2022. Thereafter, it was extended to Salt Lake Sector V.

Now, with the project cost of Rs 4,965 crore, Howrah Maidan to Esplanade of the Green Line which is a 4.8 kilometre stretch will be inaugurated on Wednesday. This stretch also has the deepest Metro station in India at Howrah. According to Metro officials, the entire stretch is expected to be operational very soon.

Another new Metro Corridor is from Kavi Subhash to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby) stretch of Orange line will also be inaugurated on Wednesday. Built at a cost of Rs 1,453 crore, it had five stations named after writers, poets and film maestros.

The Metro project from New Garia (Kavi Subhash)-Airport (Biman Bandar) was sanctioned in 2010-11 as an elevated corridor at a cost of Rs 3,952 crore and the revised sanctioned cost is

Rs 8,964 crore. The Joka-Taratala stretch of Purple Line will be extended till Majerhat with the inauguration of Taratala to Majerhat stretch. It is further going to be extended till Esplanade.

An expenditure of Rs 3,575 crore was incurred in the project up to February 2024, of which Rs 635 crore has been incurred for the Maintenance Depot at Joka and rest for viaduct and stations.