Kolkata’s rapid transit network will operate additional early-morning services on two key corridors this Sunday to support thousands of candidates appearing for the State Eligibility Test, reinforcing the role of public transport in enabling equitable access to education across the city. According to an official notification issued by the metro operator, special services will run on the Blue Line and Green Line on December 14, earlier than the usual Sunday schedule. The move is aimed at ensuring that examinees can reach testing centres on time without relying on private transport, particularly from suburban and peripheral areas.
Normally, metro operations on Sundays begin at 9 am on these corridors. However, for the examination day, services will commence from 7 am, offering a two-hour mobility window tailored to student travel patterns. Between 7 am and 8 am, trains will operate at 20-minute intervals, followed by a higher frequency of 15-minute intervals from 8 am to 9 am. Standard Sunday services will resume thereafter. On the north–south Blue Line corridor, the first train will depart from the northern terminal at 7 am, while services from the southern end will begin half an hour later. The east–west Green Line will see simultaneous first departures from both terminals at 7 am, improving cross-river access and connectivity to institutional clusters and examination venues.
While the total number of train services will be lower than a typical weekday, officials said the revised timetable has been designed to balance operational efficiency with passenger demand. The Blue Line will operate 144 services for the day, while the Green Line will run 118 services, reflecting calibrated deployment rather than full-scale expansion. Urban mobility experts note that such targeted interventions demonstrate how public transport systems can adapt to civic needs beyond routine commuting. “Exam days often expose gaps in early-morning connectivity, particularly for women and students from low-income households. Adjusting schedules is a cost-effective way to promote inclusivity,” an urban transport planner observed.
The announcement comes alongside a citywide traffic advisory issued for a major public event scheduled a day earlier at a prominent stadium along the eastern corridor. Authorities have urged commuters to plan journeys in advance and rely on public transport wherever possible to minimise congestion and emissions. As Kolkata continues to modernise its transit infrastructure, these temporary service changes highlight a broader shift towards people-first urban planning. By prioritising shared mobility over private vehicles, the city not only supports academic aspirations but also advances a more sustainable, low-carbon approach to managing peak travel demand one that aligns social equity with long-term environmental goals.
Kolkata Metro Runs Extra Blue Green Line Trains For SET Exam Dec14
