Kavi Subhash Metro station in Kolkata, closed since July 28 because of cracks in platform pillars and other infrastructure problems, is being rebuilt with a target to resume passenger services on January 1, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin. The reopening date has been fixed by the Railway Board, although continuing rain has raised concerns about whether the construction schedule can be met.
The station, also known as New Garia, is the southern terminal of Kolkata Metro’s Blue Line and serves large parts of the Garia area. Its closure has forced passengers to use nearby Shahid Khudiram station, with commuters reportedly having to change autos twice for some journeys. The additional travel has increased both commuting time and cost.
Metro officials said demolition of the old station has been completed and construction of the replacement structure has begun. Underground piling work for the new station has also been completed, but several other parts of the project remain unfinished. The Railway Board has asked for the station to be opened as a New Year service milestone, and additional workers have been deployed to accelerate the work.
Rain over the past two months has slowed construction on several days, according to the report. This has created uncertainty around completing the station by the end of the year, the deadline being pursued by the authorities. Officials are continuing work in an effort to meet the January 1 target.
The station was shut after structural issues, including cracks in platform pillars, led authorities to decide that the existing structure should be demolished and rebuilt. At the time, the work was expected to take eight to nine months. The project has continued beyond that initial timeline, and passengers told the publication that an earlier expectation of reopening around April or May was not met.
The closure has also affected the Orange Line’s New Garia–Beleghata service. According to a metro official cited in the report, most passengers using the Orange Line boarded at New Garia. With the Blue Line interchange station unavailable, ridership on the Orange Line has fallen and trains have been operating with fewer passengers. The official said this had increased the line’s losses during the period of disrupted connectivity.
Kavi Subhash is an important interchange point for passengers travelling between the Blue Line and the Orange Line. Its continued closure has therefore affected both station access for residents in southern Kolkata and passenger volumes on the newer corridor. The authorities’ next stated milestone is to complete the rebuilding work and reopen the station to passengers on January 1.
