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METRO TO RUN UNDER THE RIVER HOOGHLY WITH PASSENGERS FROM TOMORROW
Kolkata, Date: 14.03.2024:
The dream is going to come true from tomorrow i.e. from 15.03.2024 (Friday)! For the first time in the country, Metro is going to run under a mighty river, namely Hooghly from tomorrow morning. The first Metro will leave simultaneously from Howrah Maidan and Esplanade on Howrah Maidan -Esplanade Stretch of East-West Metro at 07.00 hrs. It is going to be a momentous occasion and a proud moment for all of us.
The ‘City of Joy’ is eagerly waiting for that moment. It is expected that from the very first day, this Metro will see huge footfall as people will be eager to travel on this stretch for a life-time experience. There are four stations namely, Howrah Maidan, Howrah, Mahakaran, and Esplanade on this stretch. Howrah station, one of the deepest Metro stations in the country, is going to cater to the commuters of the Eastern Railway as well as the South Eastern Railway. The 520-metre stretch under the river Hooghly which has been constructed in a record time of 66 days is going to be the prime attraction of this stretch. The under-river tunnels (East-Bound and West-Bound) have specially been illuminated and painted with aquatic creatures so that commuters can clearly understand that the rake is passing under the river portion.
Metro services on this stretch will be available from Monday to Saturday at 12-15 minute intervals. The last service will leave from Howrah Maidan and Esplanade at 21.45 hrs. There will be no services on Sundays.
Along with this, Metro’s Commercial Services on the Kavi Subhash to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay stretch of the Orange Line are also going to start from 09.00 hrs tomorrow. The first Metro from Kavi Subhash and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay will start with passengers at that time. The last Metro on this stretch will start from the terminal stations at 16.40 hrs. The services on this stretch will be available from Monday to Friday at 20-minute intervals. There will be no services on Saturdays and Sundays.
Purple Line Metro services are also going to be extended from Taratala to Majerhat from tomorrow itself. On this stretch, the first commercial service from Joka to Majerhat will start at 08.30 hrs and Majerhat to Joka at 08.55 hrs from tomorrow. The last service will leave Joka station at 15.10 hrs and Majerhat station at 15.35 hrs. There will be no service available on this stretch on Saturdays and Sundays.
From Metro counters, only tokens and Smart Cards will be available for all these stretches. Integrated tickets will be available to travel on Green Line (Howrah Maidan to Esplanade Stretch), Blue Line, and Orange Line from the ticket counters only up to 15.30 hrs. No wheelchair facility will be available at these new Metro stations. Passengers are requested to carry luggage not more than 10 kg and which is not bulky in nature. Otherwise, it may inconvenience fellow commuters. Metro Authorities have taken all possible measures to fulfill the expectations of lacs of commuters who are eager to witness this history. To live up to their expectations and excitement, necessary safety and security measures have already been taken. Mock fire evacuation drills have also been conducted today to check the last-minute preparedness of Metro staff to mitigate any emergency. These drills were conducted between Esplanade and Mahakaran stations of Green Line as well as Kavi Subhash and Satyajit Ray stations of Orange Line this afternoon in the presence of Senior Metro officials. The stage is now set for the “D-Day”. Metro Authorities are hopeful that tomorrow will be another “Red Letter Day” in the annals of Kolkata Metro.
Amar Kolkata, Amar Gorbo.
