Kolkata Metro is expected to resume empty-train reversals at Kavi Subhash, also known as New Garia, from January 2027, a move that could improve peak-hour operations on the Blue Line while reconstruction of the damaged station continues.
Under the proposed arrangement, trains travelling from Dakshineswar would drop their last passengers at Shahid Khudiram station before proceeding empty to Kavi Subhash. They would then switch tracks at the station and begin their return journey towards Dakshineswar, a Metro official told The Telegraph.
The arrangement is expected to provide additional operational headway and may allow the carrier to run a couple of extra trains during peak hours, the official said. Commercial services at Kavi Subhash, the original southern terminus of the north-south corridor, have remained suspended since July 28, 2025, after cracks were detected in platform pillars.
The damage was attributed to soil subsidence following heavy rainfall. The Up platform, used by trains travelling towards Dakshineswar, is being demolished and rebuilt. The roof, trusses and platform are being dismantled, with demolition work described as nearly complete. Reconstruction is expected to begin after the monsoon and festive season, and is likely to take at least another year.
Metro officials said the planned reversal of empty trains would restore the earlier operating arrangement without waiting for the station to reopen for passengers. Safety precautions will be put in place, and the carrier does not intend to rush the work. The station had experienced structural instability for more than a decade, according to sources cited in the report, and a wider overhaul had already been planned after Durga Puja 2025 before heavy rainfall accelerated the damage.
The rebuilt platform is planned to have additional underground piles, new columns and enhanced structural support. An official said the reconstruction would be undertaken with a focus on “foolproof safety”, after the former New Garia station was inaugurated in haste.
Kavi Subhash is an important interchange point in the southern part of Kolkata’s metro network. It connects the Blue Line with the Orange Line, which runs between New Garia and the airport corridor, and is also linked to the New Garia suburban railway station. The closure therefore affected passengers using both metro and suburban rail connections.
Since July 29, 2025, Shahid Khudiram has served as the southern terminus of the Blue Line. The station initially lacked a rake-reversal point, forcing trains to take longer to change tracks and contributing to timetable disruptions. A reversal point at Shahid Khudiram was installed at the end of May 2026, after which demolition work at New Garia gathered pace.
Once Kavi Subhash becomes operational again, the crossover point at Shahid Khudiram will be removed, according to the Metro official. The next milestones are the start of reconstruction after the rains and festive season, followed by the planned resumption of empty-train reversals at Kavi Subhash in January 2027.
