Trial runs on the 4.5km Beleghata–Sector V section of Kolkata’s Orange Line began on Saturday, moving the New Garia–Airport Metro corridor closer to a direct connection with Salt Lake’s IT district and the Green Line.
The Kolkata Orange Line is currently operational between New Garia and Beleghata. The next section planned for commissioning runs from Beleghata to Sector V, where the IT Centre station is located. Once opened, the extension will link New Garia directly to Sector V by Metro.
An official of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), the executing agency, told The Telegraph that the agency is “eyeing commercial runs by the end of this year”. The trial runs are being conducted to test the signalling systems and other railway infrastructure on the section.
Commercial services cannot begin immediately after the trial runs. The Metro authorities must first complete the tests, carry out any necessary rectifications and approach the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for an inspection. CRS clearance is mandatory before passenger operations can start on the new stretch.
The extension is significant because Sector V will provide an interchange with the Green Line, also known as the East-West Metro. The Green Line connects the Salt Lake area with Howrah, creating the possibility of a direct transfer for passengers travelling between the Orange Line and the East-West corridor.
A Metro official said passenger numbers on the Orange Line are currently “very low”. According to the official, this is expected to change when the line reaches Sector V because residents living along the EM Bypass will gain access to the Salt Lake–Howrah section through the interchange.
The new link will add a connection between residential areas along the New Garia–EM Bypass corridor and Sector V, one of Kolkata’s principal employment districts. Its immediate operational effect will depend on the completion of testing, safety inspection and the subsequent clearance process.
The next formal milestone is the CRS inspection after the trial runs and required rectification work are completed. Commercial operations on the Beleghata–Sector V stretch will begin only after that approval.
