Puja: Metro sees surge in passengers, carries 50.5L from Chaturthi to Dashami

Kolkata: This year’s Durga Puja brought a festive wave of passengers to the Kolkata Metro, with around 50.5 lakh commuters hopping on board from Chaturthi to Dashami (October 7-12).

The Metro authorities reported a 1.77 per cent increase in ridership compared to last year, highlighting the growing popularity of the city’s lifeline during the grand celebrations. In the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Kavi Subhash), night-long services were run on Saptami (October 10), Asthami-Nabami (October 11) and Dashami (October 12).

Additionally, services on the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade stretch of the Green Line operated till after midnight on these three days. The Blue Line transported 44.19 lakh passengers, while the Saltlake Sector V-Sealdah stretch of the Green Line served 2.53 lakh passengers and the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade route carried 3.79 lakh passengers over the Puja days. Among the Blue Line stations, Dum Dum recorded the highest footfall with 4.43 lakh passengers, followed by Kalighat with 3.61 lakh, and Sovabazar Sutanuti with 3.11 lakh, on those days.

On the Saltlake Sector V-Sealdah line, Sealdah saw the highest number of passengers at around one lakh, followed by Saltlake Sector V with 47,894, and Phoolbagan with 26,285. In the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade corridor, Howrah station had the highest count with 1.98 lakh passengers, followed by Howrah Maidan with 1.23 lakh, and Mahakaran with 33,653. Meanwhile, the Metro will operate 190 services on the Blue Line from 6.50 am to 9.40 pm on the day of Laxmi Puja, October 16.

On the Saltlake Sector V-Sealdah stretch of the Green Line, 90 services will run from 6.55 am to 9.40 pm at 20-minute intervals. The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade route will have 118 services from 7.00 am to 9.54 pm, with intervals of 12 and 20 minutes.