Salt Lake–Howrah Metro stretch now fully open
By : Krishna Mishra
The city marked a historic leap in public transport on Friday as the full 16.6km Salt Lake Sector V–Howrah Maidan Metro corridor became operational, transforming daily commutes for lakhs of passengers.
At 6:04pm, the first six-coach train left Sector V and reached Howrah Maidan in just 35 minutes—a journey that often stretches to 90 minutes by bus. For commuters like Nishan Ranjan Ghosh and Shilpi Banerjee, the East-West Metro promises speed, comfort, and affordability, eliminating tedious multi-mode travel.
The much-awaited milestone came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Esplanade–Sealdah section, completing the entire stretch. Modi also flagged off two other Metro links: the 6.77km Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar (airport) section and the 4.39km Ruby–Beleghata section, along with a subway connecting Howrah Metro and railway stations.
“This is a proud moment for Kolkata,” said Metro GM P. Uday Kumar Reddy, highlighting the 14km expansion on Friday alone. Despite delays, land disputes, and Bowbazar subsidence incidents since 2019, the East-West Metro has emerged as a game-changer.
Running 186 services daily (104 on Sundays), the Green Line will carry over 6 lakh passengers, linking two of India’s busiest railway hubs—Howrah and Sealdah—in just 12 minutes. With seamless connections to the Blue and Yellow lines, commuters can now travel from Salt Lake to the airport with two train changes.
Engineers and officials who braved years of challenges expressed pride and relief. “Many lost hope after the Bowbazar incidents, but we never gave up,” said Ashraf Ahmad, tunnel construction manager.
Conceived in 1971, sanctioned in 2004, and under construction since 2009, the East-West Metro finally delivers on its long-pending promise—reshaping how Kolkata moves.