The long-awaited authorisation to operationalise the crucial Esplanade–Sealdah stretch of the East-West Metro Corridor has finally been granted by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), completing the 16.6 km Green Line from Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector V.
With this clearance, one of the most ambitious urban transit projects in India is ready to operate in its entirety. The East-West Corridor connects two of India’s busiest railheads—Howrah and Sealdah—bridging the city’s historical and emerging commercial zones through a high-capacity, eco-conscious metro service. This development is expected to significantly reduce commute times, decongest roads, and promote a more climate-resilient model of public transport in Kolkata. The final approval was granted following an extensive safety and technical inspection of the 2.6 km underground stretch between Esplanade and Sealdah. This portion, carved beneath some of Kolkata’s oldest and most densely populated areas, had remained incomplete due to complex geotechnical conditions, especially in the subsidence-prone Bowbazar locality. After years of delays—amplified by groundwater ingress and heritage preservation constraints—metro officials now confirm the section is ready for operations.
During the safety audit, senior officials rigorously assessed the corridor’s structural integrity, fire and ventilation systems, track alignment, signalling technologies, and emergency response protocols. Speed trials were successfully conducted at 80 kilometres per hour to simulate real-time operations. The inspection team concluded that the corridor meets all safety and performance benchmarks necessary for passenger service. This milestone marks the end of a long and arduous chapter for the East-West Metro project, originally conceptualised in 2009. Despite construction beginning in earnest over a decade ago, the project has faced repeated halts owing to heritage preservation rules, land acquisition complications, and multiple incidents of tunnel collapse. The COVID-19 pandemic further delayed works, but sustained efforts by infrastructure engineers, planners, and safety regulators have now brought the vision to life.
Officials from Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) have confirmed that all systems are now aligned for a seamless launch, pending final operational adjustments. The Green Line, already functional between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade (4.8 km) and between Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V (9.2 km), now stands fully linked for end-to-end passenger movement. This connectivity will drastically reduce cross-city travel time to under 30 minutes, compared to nearly two hours by road during peak hours. Urban mobility experts have lauded this development as a breakthrough in creating a low-emission, high-efficiency transport network for Kolkata, a city long dependent on ageing surface transport. The East-West Metro, powered by electricity and equipped with Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) for real-time train monitoring, represents a key shift towards net-zero carbon mobility. By diverting thousands of private vehicles and fossil-fuel buses off the roads daily, the metro is expected to significantly cut vehicular emissions, supporting the city’s climate adaptation goals.
The corridor also includes India’s first underwater metro tunnel, passing beneath the Hooghly River. This engineering feat, a first in the country, symbolises both the city’s technological ambition and the broader national objective of integrating advanced mass transit infrastructure across urban India. Officials expect the corridor to become a model for other river-spanning metros in cities like Mumbai and Kochi. Once commissioned, the corridor will not only enhance east-west connectivity but also integrate with the existing North-South Metro line at Esplanade. This multimodal interchange is designed to foster last-mile connectivity, making Kolkata’s metro one of the most interlinked urban rail networks in the country. Moreover, station infrastructure has been developed with universal design principles in mind—ensuring ease of access for differently-abled passengers, senior citizens, and children.
Transport planners also highlight the social equity angle of the East-West Metro. By providing safe, affordable, and reliable connectivity between job centres, educational hubs, and railway terminals, the metro system democratises access to opportunity and services—especially for women and marginalised communities who rely on public transit the most. The commercial launch date of the Esplanade–Sealdah section is expected to be announced shortly. Metro Railway officials have stated that some final operational preparations are underway, including software integration and mock drills, to ensure the line opens with the highest standards of commuter safety and efficiency.
Kolkata’s urban mobility landscape is now on the cusp of transformation. As Indian cities grapple with increasing congestion, rising emissions, and inequitable access to transport, the East-West Metro sets a precedent. It reaffirms the need for bold public infrastructure that not only addresses mobility challenges but also uplifts the environmental and social fabric of cities. For Kolkata, the full commissioning of the Green Line is more than just a transport achievement—it is a step toward becoming a more sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready metropolis.
