East-West Metro completes trial run successfully

Kolkata: East-West Metro first phase trial run was successfully completed as the officials checked the synchronization of platform screen doors with the train and other technicalities on Thursday.

The first phase of the East-West Metro stretch is five kilometres between Salt Lake Sector V and Salt Lake Stadium. During the trial run, the passengers, who were mostly officials of the Kolkata Metro Railway, boarded the train and completed their journey.

The officials also checked the signaling system, alignment of doors with the platform and the time taken for the completing the trip.

"We will thoroughly review the dummy run and prepare a report. We will conduct another

trial run if we are not happy with this one," said Kolkata Metro Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Indrani Banerjee.

The first phase of the East-West Metro

stretch includes Salt Lake Sector V station, Karunamoyee station, Central Park station, City Centre station, Bengal Chemical station and Salt Lake Stadium station.

According to sources, the entire trial run was conducted smoothly from Tuesday to Thursday. A report is being prepared by the Kolkata Metro Railway. Another report from the Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited (KMRCL) is awaited.

The KMRCL is the implementing agency for the East-West Metro project from Salt Lake Sector V to Howrah Maidan covering a distance of 16.5 kilometres. The elevated corridor is 5.8 km and the underground stretch measures 10.8 km. An 11 km long tunnel has been constructed under river Hooghly.

The East-West Metro trains run on more advanced technology where the driver's role is minimal. The KMRCL has already received the nod of the Railway Board for commercial services. Eight rakes from the Bengaluru-based PSU BEML had already been procured for passenger services.

The unique feature of the East-West Metro is that an underground tunnel has been constructed below river Hooghly for running the trial.

The second phase will see commercial run up to Phoolbagan, which is expected to start by the end of this year.

The path of the East-West Metro will be over the ground from Salt Lake Sector V till Subhas Sarobar station and then will go underground. In the entire stretch, around 520 metres of tunneling has been done underneath river Hooghly.

The tunnel boring work stopped as the buildings in Bowbazar area had developed structural damages following subsidence on August 31.