Howrah Maidan & Esplanade: Metro flags off Sunday services

Kolkata: The Kolkata Metro Railway flagged off its Sunday services between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade on Sunday. The inaugural trains departed from both stations at 2:15 pm, reaching their destinations within eight minutes, at 2:23 pm. The first ticket was issued at 1:45 pm.

On the first day of operation, the new service witnessed a steady stream of commuters. By 5 pm, approximately 6,500 passengers had utilised the service, with the initial trains carrying around 650 passengers each. Passengers expressed visible satisfaction with the introduction of Sunday services on this stretch of the Green Line, which runs beneath the Hooghly River.

Khushbu Shaw, a passenger travelling towards Esplanade on the first Sunday service train, remarked: “We were eagerly anticipating the start of Sunday services. This journey is far more comfortable and safer than taking the bus.” Goutam, travelling from Howrah Maidan to Mahakaran, added: “Being able to reach Kolkata quickly and easily on a Sunday is a significant advantage for us.” Metro officials also expressed their delight at the positive public response.

In a separate achievement, Kolkata Metro set a new record for daily passenger revenue on August 31. On that day, earnings from passenger fares surpassed Rs 1 crore for the first time in a single day. A total of 6.75 lakh passengers travelled on the Dakshineswar-Kavi Subhash (Blue Line), Saltlake Sector V-Sealdah (a stretch of the Green Line) and Howrah Maidan-Esplanade (another stretch of the Green Line) corridors. The Blue Line carried the most passengers, with approximately 5.75 lakh commuters, while both stretches of the Green Line transported around 50,000 passengers each.

According to Metro Railway officials, online recharges contributed significantly to this record-breaking revenue, with daily earnings from passenger fares exceeding Rs 1.01 crore. It’s worth noting that commercial services on the Joka -Majerhat (Purple Line) and Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Orange Line) were suspended on August 31 due to it being a Saturday.