The East-West Metro corridor in Kolkata might completely shut down for four days, from January 30 to February 2, to perform important tests on the trains. This comes after two Sundays in January when the metro stopped running to connect different parts of the route.
The Kolkata Metro is India’s oldest metro system and is about to make a big change by connecting the two historic cities of Howrah and Sealdah. This connection will help people travel faster between these busy areas. However, this big step means there will be some temporary shutdowns.
Request for Shutdown
The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) has asked for a break in service from 11 PM on January 29 until 5 AM on February 3. They will decide about longer shutdowns based on feedback from passengers. KMRC also suggested a possible 45-day shutdown from February 8 to March 24 for upgrades needed for the Howrah-Sealdah connection.
Impact on Book Fair Visitors
The planned closure overlaps with the Kolkata International Book Fair, which starts on January 28 in Salt Lake. Many people going to the fair rely on the metro to get there. The event’s organizers, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, are worried about this. Guild president Tridib Chatterjee mentioned that they might ask the metro to increase train frequency or delay the tests until after the fair ends on February 9.
Important Tests for Safety
Metro Railway needs to check the system to connect the trains better. They are considering a longer 45-day shutdown to set up a new train control system that can communicate with all train parts across the 16.6 km stretch. This will improve safety and help trains run smoothly. The first testing phase happened during weekends with no service on the Green Line 2, while Green Line 1 continued normal operations.
Final Preparations for Operations
The East-West Metro is almost ready, with civil work done between Esplanade and Sealdah. However, the final 2.5 km link has been delayed due to problems since 2019. KMRC is planning to use two six-car trains for these tests, which will include checking different speeds, train systems, and safety measures. The aim is to ensure everything is ready for passengers as soon as possible. The decision on the proposed shutdown is still pending as they balance the need for tests with passenger convenience
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