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Railway plans to launch operations for the Airport-Haldiram segment of the New Garia-Airport Orange line by the year's end. Currently, the stretch between New Garia and Ruby is operational, with the Kolkata airport station set to become an interchange between the orange and yellow lines. P. Uday Kumar Reddy, Metro Railway's General Manager, stated that the orange line would start service from both ends instead of just New Garia. The timeline for the 2.4-km Airport-Haldiram section remains undisclosed, but efforts are underway to commence it by year-end. By then, the Noapara-Airport stretch of the yellow line should be operational.
Reddy mentioned, "Rakes can be brought into the airport station from the Noapara depot, which will then have both the North-South (Blue) line and the yellow lines crossing it. Thus, the orange line can start from the opposite end as well." Reddy inspected the progress of work between Airport Metro station and VIP Road station of the orange line. Accompanied by senior officials, he also visited the construction site at Kaikhali crossing, where ramp construction has begun after approval from Bidhannagar Police.
The Metro project, initiated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2009, commenced in 2011 but faced delays and cost overruns due to land acquisition issues. Reddy mentioned an alternative plan to start the Airport-VIP Road station section and proceed from both ends. Currently, the orange line runs 5.4 km from New Garia to Ruby crossing.
VIP Road, or Haldiram, will be the first station from the airport end, covering a 2.4-kilometre stretch in approximately 7 minutes. The service aims to extend till Metropolitan on the EM Bypass by December.
Afcons is constructing the last leg of the orange line, including two stations at Chinar Park and VIP Road (Rabindra Tirtha and Haldiram) and a 3.5 km viaduct, along with a 950 m underground stretch to the airport. Kolkata Metro Railway plans to introduce digital transactions to streamline ticketing processes and enhance commuter convenience.
The initiative, set for implementation in the East-West Metro corridor, will leverage Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology. This will allow commuters to purchase tickets using smartphones, eliminating the need for cash transactions. Additionally, commuters can recharge their smart cards through the same platform, showcasing the Metro Railway's commitment to improving passenger experience through technological advancements.
