Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, often referred to as the “cultural capital of India” due to its diverse culture and rich artistic heritage. It is situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River. Kolkata ranks as one of India’s most populous cities. While Kolkata is home to several prestigious institutions like the University of Calcutta and the Indian Museum, the city has been serving as a major financial and commercial hub in eastern India.
Kolkata served as the capital of British India from 1772 to 1911 and played a critical role in India’s colonial history. The city experienced considerable changes, particularly after the partition of Bengal in 1947, which resulted in an influx of refugees from East Bengal.
After independence, Kolkata grappled with the urgent need for efficient urban transportation. By the late 1960s, Kolkata faced severe traffic congestion, with road infrastructure unable to accommodate its growing population. In response to these challenges, the Indian government recognised the necessity of a metro system as part of urban planning in the city, making Kolkata the first city in India to introduce metro rail services.
Glimpse Of Kolkata Metro History
Early proposal: The idea of a metro system in Kolkata can be traced back to the September 1919 session of the imperial legislative council at Shimla. A committee setup by W.E. Crum proposed the idea of a metro line in Kolkata. However, this initiative was shelved due to financial constraints.
Revision of proposal: The proposal of a metro system in Kolkata was reconceived in 1949 with the idea of an underground railway for the city by the chief minister of West Bengal, Bidhan Chandra Roy. A team of French experts conducted the survey, but nothing concrete materialised.
Formation of Metropolitan Transport Project: To conquer the urban transportation challenges, the Metropolitan Transport Project (MTP) was established in 1969.
Planning: In 1971, a master plan was developed, which outlined the construction of five metro lines with a total length of 97.5 km (60.6 mi). However, based on traffic studies, only 3 corridors were approved for construction. The highest priority was given to the Dum Dum to Tollygunge line due to its high traffic volume.
The three identified corridors were:
- Dum Dum – Tollygunge (Line 1): This line is currently operational between Dakshineswar and New Garia.
- Bidhannagar – Ramrajatala (Line 2): Originally planned to extend to Ramrajatala, this line is currently truncated at Howrah Maidan.
- Dakshineswar – Thakurpukur: This was divided into two sections — Line 1 (Noapara to Dakshineswar) and Line 3 (Joka to Esplanade).
Execution: On 29 December 1972, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid the foundation stone for the metro project in Kolkata.
Reasons Behind Kolkata Metro
Urban population growth: Kolkata experienced a significant population growth due to partition and independence of India. By the 1970s, Kolkata became one of the most densely populated cities in India, with a population exceeding 14 million in the metropolitan area. This influx in population created immense pressure on the existing transport system, which led to severe congestion and inadequate public transport options, generating the need for the metro in Kolkata.
Inefficient road Infrastructure: With the growing population, the number of vehicles in Kolkata has increased rapidly. However, only 6.2% of Kolkata’s area comprises roads, which was significantly lower than that of other major Indian cities, which often exceed 20%. This limited road infrastructure leads to heavy traffic congestion on roads due to its inefficiency to accommodate the growing number of vehicles.
Overview Of Kolkata Metro
Kolkata Metro (India’s first metro) is an urban mass rapid transit system that first began operations on October 24, 1984. As of 2024, Kolkata Metro has 4 operational corridors. The metro system in Kolkata is the second busiest and fourth longest metro network in India. Kolkata Metro has been serving the city for 40 years. The Kolkata Metro boasts daily ridership of 700,000 passengers.
Interim Budget 2024 Highlights:
- The New Garia-Airport corridor (Orange Line) received the highest allocation of ₹1,791.3 crore.
- The Joka-Esplanade corridor was allocated ₹1,200 crore.
- The East-West Metro project received ₹900 crore.
Key Specification of Kolkata Metro
| Speed and Track | Top Speed: 80 kmph Average Speed: 34 kmph Track Gauge: Broad Gauge – 1676 mm (Line-1) & Standard Gauge – 1435 mm (Line-2) |
| Safety and Electrification | Electrification: 750 V DC Third Rail |
Operational Routes of Kolkata Metro
| Operational Network: 58.68 km Under Construction: 41.94 km Approved: 28.2 km Proposed: 15.7 km |
Blue Line (Line-1): Dakshineswar- New Garia (Kavi Subhash)
- Length: 32.25 km
- Depot: Noapara and New Garia
- Number of Stations: 26
- Station Names: Dakshineswar, Baranagar, Noapara, Dum Dum, Belgachhia, Shyambazar, Shobabazar, Shobhabazar Sutanuti, Girish Park, MG Road, Central, Chandni Chowk, Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan, Rabindra Sadan, Netaji Bhavan, Jatin Das Park, Kalighat, Rabindra Sarobar, Mahanayak Uttam Kumar, Netaji, Masteda Surya Sen, Gitanjali, Kavi Nazrul, Shahid Khudiram, Kavi Subhash (New Garia)
Timeline of Blue Line (Line 1)
| Operational Date | Section | Length |
| 24 October 1984 | Esplanade – Netaji Bhawan | 3.40 km |
| 12 November 1984 | Dum Dum – Belgachhia | 2.15 km |
| 29 April 1986 | Netaji Bhawan – Tollygunge | 4.24 km |
| 13 August 1994 | Belgachhia – Shyambazaar | 1.63 km |
| 02 October 1994 | Esplanade – Chandni Chowk | 0.71 km |
| 19 February 1995 | Shyam Bazaar – Girish Park | 1.92 km |
| 19 February 1995 | Chandni Chowk – Central | 0.60 km |
| 27 September 1995 | Central – Girish Park | 1.80 km |
| 22 August 2009 | Tollygunge – Garia Bazar | 5.85 km |
| 07 October 2010 | Garia Bazar – New Garia | 3.0 km |
| 10 July 2013: | Dum Dum – Noapara | 2.09 km |
| 21 February 2021 | Noapara – Dakshineswar | 4.11 km |
Green Line (Line-2): Sector V – Sealdah and Howrah Maidan – Esplanade
- Length: 13 km
- Type: Elevated (5.3 km) & Underground (7.7 km)
- Depot: Central Park in Bidhannagar (Salt Lake)
- Number of Stations: 12
- Station Names: Howrah Maidan, Howrah, Mahakaran, Esplanade, Sealdah, Phoolbagan, Salt Lake Stadium, Bengal Chemical, City Centre, Central Park, Karunamoyee, Salt Lake Sector V
Timeline of Green Line ( Line 2)
| Operational date | Section | Length |
| 13 Feb 2020 | Sector V – Salt Lake Stadium | 5.3 km |
| 05 Oct 2020 | Salt Lake Stadium – Phoolbagan | 1.7 km |
| 14 July 2022 | Phoolbagan – Sealdah | 2.1 km |
| 6 March 2024 | Howrah Maidan – Esplanade | 3.9 km |
Purple Line (Line-3): Joka – Majerhat
- Length: 7.75 km
- Type: Elevated
- Depot: Joka
- Number of Stations: 7
- Station Names: Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar, Taratala, and Majerhat
Timeline of Purple Line (Line 3)
| Operational Date | Section | length |
| 30 December 2022 | Joka – Taratala | 6.5 km |
| 6 March 2024 | Taratala – Majerhat | 1.25 km |
Orange Line (Line-6): Kavi Subhash (New Garia) – Hemanta Mukherjee (Ruby Hospital)
- Length: 5.68 km
- Type: Elevated
- Depot: New Garia
- Number of Stations: 5
- Station Names: Kavi Subhash, Satyajit Ray, Jyotirindra Nath Nandy, Kavi Sukanta, and Hemanta Mukherjee
Timeline of Orange Line ( Line 6)
| Operational date | Section | Length |
| 6 March 2024 | Kavi Subhash – Hemanta Mukhopadhyay | 5.68 km |
Under Construction Lines
Green Line (Line-2) – Esplanade – Sealdah (tunnels only)
- Length: 2 km
- Type: Underground
- Number of Stations: 0
- Station Names: N/A
Purple Line (Line-3) – Majerhat to Esplanade
- Length: 7.55 km
- Type: Elevated (2.5 km) & Underground (5.05 km)
- Number of Stations: 5
- Station Names: Mominpur, Kidderpore, Victoria Memorial, Park Street and Esplanade.
| Recent update: In July 2024, Larsen & Toubro commenced concrete pouring for the initial batch of tunnel ring segments for the Purple Line. Larsen & Toubro was awarded Package UG1 in June 2023. The L&T is responsible for the twin tunnels between Mominpur and Esplanade and 4 construction of 4 underground stations at Kidderpore, Victoria Memorial, Park Street and Esplanade. |
Yellow Line (Line-4) – Noapara to NSCBI Airport
- Length: 6.87 km
- Type: At-grade, elevated & underground
- Number of Stations: 4
- Station Names: Noapara, Dum Dum Cantt., Jessore Road, Biman Bandar
| Recent updates: The 16 km Yellow Line connecting Neopara to Barasat, the first line to connect with the airport, witnessed significant development as the 4 km track from Dum Dum Cantonment to the NSCBI Airport was recently completed. On 21st October 2024, Shri P Uday Reddy inspected the 4km long track in the Maidan trolley from Dum Dum cantonment- Airport. |
Orange Line (Line-6) – Hemanta Mukherjee (Ruby Hospital) to NSCBI Airport (Biman Bandar)
- Length: 24.19 km
- Type: At-grade, elevated & underground
- Depot: New Town, New Garia
- Number of Stations: 19
- Station Names: VIP Bazar, Ritwik Ghatak, Barun Sengupta, Beliaghata, Gour Kishore Ghosh, NICCO Park, Saltlake Sector V, Technopolis, Nazrul Tirtha (formerly Bidhan Nagar), Swapno Bhor (formerly Sub CBD-1), Biswa Bangla Convention Centre (formerly CBD-1), Kala Kshetra, Mother’s Wax Museum (formerly New Town), Eco Park (formerly Convention Center), Siksha Tirtha (formerly Sub CBD-2), City Centre II (formerly Titumir), Chinar Park (formerly Rabindra Tirtha), VIP Road/Teghoria (Haldiram), Biman Bandar (Airport).
Proposed Lines
Green Line (Line-2) – Howrah Maidan to Satrangachi Bus Terminal
- Length: 10 km
- Type: Elevated
- Status: Proposed
Green Line (Line-2) – Sector V to Teghoria
- Length: 5.7 km
- Type: Elevated
- Number of Stations: 5
- Station Names: Kestopur, Dum Dum Park, Baguiati, Raghunathpur and Teghoria (Line-6 interchange)
- Status: Proposed
Yellow Line (Line-4) – NSCBI Airport (Biman Bandar) to Barasat
- Length: 11.26 km
- Type: Underground and Elevated
- Number of Stations: 6
- Station Names: Birati, Michael Nagar, New Barrackpore, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur and Barasat
- Status: A 3.6 km underground section with 3 stations from NSCBI to New Barrackpore has been fast-tracked. Geotechnical & Design bids were invited in mid-January 2020.
Pink Line (Line-5) – Baranagar to Barrackpore
- Length: 12.50 km
- Type: At-grade & elevated
- Number of Stations: 11
- Station Names: Baranagar, Kamarhati, Agarpara, Panihati, Sodepur, Subhash Nagar, Khardaha, Tata Gate, Titagarh, Talpukur, Barrackpore
- Status: This line is on hold. Its route was proposed to follow Barrackpore Trunk Road but may follow the Kalyani Expressway instead. When operational, it might function as an extension/spur of Line 1.
Initiative to Digitalised India
- In September, the Kolkata metro introduced a mobile-based QR ticketing system on trial basis. Shri P Uday Kumar Reddy, General Manager of Metro Railways, introduced this new ticketing system at Kalighat station with other senior officials.
- To support this new QR ticketing system the AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gates on Blue Line and Orange Line stations have been upgraded.
Benefits of Kolkata Metro
1. Enhanced Connectivity: The expanded network of Kolkata Metro enhanced connectivity in the city by linking the peripheral areas of the city to the central part of the city. This extensive network allowed the residents of Kolkata to access different regions of the city more conveniently.
2. Reduced Traffic Congestion: Kolkata city has witnessed serious issues of road congestion due to major reasons like urban infrastructure limitation, heavy rainfall and increasing vehicle numbers. By providing a means of public transportation like the metro system, the Kolkata metro has resolved major issues like urban transportation and traffic congestion on roads.
3. Economic growth: The Kolkata Metro has majorly contributed to generating more employment rates in the city, leading to a boost in the economic growth of the city. Furthermore, the extensive network of the metro has also drawn the attention of more businesses and industries near the metro stations stimulating the local economies.
4. Time efficiency: The metro system in Kolkata allows the residents of the city to travel to different regions of the city in less time, making the journey more convenient for them. For instance, the travel time between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan by road is approximately 20 minutes; however, one can typically cover the same distance in 5 minutes by using the Metro.
5. Integration with other modes of transportation: The Kolkata metro has efficiently provided connectivity to the other modes of transportation. For instance, The Kolkata metro connects with Kolkata Suburban Railways at several interchange stations like Dum Dum and Sealdah.
Challenges Encountered by Kolkata Metro
1. Structural Integrity Issue: In February 2024, Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) received a report of the CMRS inspection conducted on the Howrah Maidan – Esplanade section of the Green Line. However, a total of 50 issues were reported by CMRS, stating major challenges like cracks in tunnel segments and signage issues that require urgent attention.
2. Water ingress and subsidence: The Esplanade to Howrah Maidan section of the Kolkata metro Green Line saw major water ingress and subsidence issues. Numerous calamitous incidents like water gushing out at rates of 150 litres per minute and an encounter with a tunnel boring machine in a sand aquifer have all contributed to severe ground movement and a threat to nearby residents and properties.
3. Technical Limitations: The construction of the Kolkata Metro during the 1970s introduced several technical constraints that continue to influence its operations. The tunnel dimensions, designed during that era, required the adaptation of Indian meter-gauge shells on broad-gauge bogies for rolling stock, necessitating custom-built rakes. This customisation has not only increased manufacturing costs but also limited the choice of suppliers.
Conclusion
The journey of the Kolkata Metro reflects a legacy of determination and adaptation. From pioneering India’s first underground railway to becoming an essential mode of transport for millions, the metro system has continually evolved to address the city’s growing needs. Overcoming challenges such as dense urban construction, technical constraints, and complex management structures, Kolkata Metro stands as a symbol of the city’s resilience and progress.
The Kolkata Metro’s planned expansions aim to transform urban mobility by connecting distant areas, reducing traffic congestion, and integrating with other transportation systems. With transparent public-private partnerships, community involvement, and a focus on safety and innovation, the Kolkata Metro strives to achieve sustainable urban growth for a more efficient and connected future for the city.
