Inspection Complete: Kolkata's East-West Metro Gears Up for Full Operations.

The much-awaited full operationalization of the East-West Metro in Kolkata is on the horizon following the successful mandatory inspection of its crucial 2.6-kilometer final leg on Sunday. The inspection, conducted by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS), covered the most critical stretch of the corridor, which passes through the subsidence-prone Bowbazar area in central Kolkata. Once the formal sanction is received from the CRS, the entire 16.6 km East-West Metro line will finally be operational.

A spokesperson for Metro Railway, the operator of Kolkata's rapid transit network, expressed optimism, stating, "Once the formal sanction comes from the CRS, the entire 16.6 km of the Green Line can be launched. Passengers will be able to travel from Sector V to Howrah Maidan, via the Hooghly, at last."

Sumeet Singhal, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), North Frontier Circle, commenced his thorough inspections at around 9 am on Sunday. His assessment included a train journey from Mahakaran metro station to Central Park station in Salt Lake.

A significant part of the inspection took place at Esplanade metro station, where the CRS meticulously examined critical sub-systems such as tracks, tunnels, tunnel ventilation, the train itself, emergency response features for metro operations, and all parameters essential for ensuring passenger safety.

Currently, the East-West Metro operates in two separate sections: the 9.2 km stretch between Sector V and Sealdah, and the 4.8 km section connecting Esplanade and Howrah Maidan. The 2.6 km Esplanade-Sealdah stretch was deliberately skipped by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC), the project's implementing agency. Instead, Phase II, connecting Howrah Maidan to Esplanade via an underwater tunnel beneath the Hooghly River, was opened in March 2024 due to the significant engineering challenges posed by the unstable soil along the Esplanade-Sealdah route.

During his time at Esplanade metro station, Singhal specifically scrutinized the air-conditioning and fire-fighting systems, alongside other vital safety measures. He then conducted a trolley inspection across both the eastward and westward tunnels, paying close attention to cross-passages, tunnel curves, and the egress shaft located at Bowbazar's Durga Pituri Lane. The inspection also included a train ride between Mahakaran and Central Park metro stations between 2 pm and 3:30 pm, during which speed trials reaching 80 kmph were conducted. The comprehensive inspection concluded at 5:30 pm.

"The CRS expressed satisfaction on the readiness of the newly completed section," the metro spokesperson confirmed. Anuj Mittal, MD of KMRC, the implementing agency for the ₹10,000 crore East-West Metro project, along with other officials from Metro Railway and KMRC, accompanied the CRS throughout the inspection.

Since the inauguration of the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March of the previous year, empty rakes have been transported to the Salt Lake maintenance depot using the more complete eastbound (Sector V-bound) tunnel. A prior inspection by the CRS, initially scheduled for earlier this month, was postponed due to ongoing final touches being applied to the eastward tunnel. With the successful completion of this crucial inspection, Kolkata residents can now anticipate the imminent launch of the fully integrated East-West Metro line, connecting key eastern and western parts of the city for the first time.