Kolkata metro to be extended till Hooghly's Chuchura? Here's what Railway minister says

Kolkata Metro, India’s first metro system, has undergone substantial expansion since it was inaugurated in 1984. The metro network currently includes four operational lines: Blue Line, Orange Line, Green Line (1 & 2), and Purple Line, covering a total of 66 km. The metro’s development has accelerated in recent years, with the addition of 38 km between 2014 and 2024, costing Rs 23,050 crore. This expansion includes the nation’s first under-river metro corridor from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, as well as various extensions and new routes.

Despite the progress, several key metro expansion projects have faced significant delays. As of now, a total of 59 km of metro lines are under construction in Kolkata, but 20 km of these projects are stalled due to various issues. The 7.5 km stretch from New Barrackpore to Barasat is delayed due to land acquisition and encroachment issues. The 12.5 km stretch from Baranagar to Barrackpore is held up due to the pending relocation of a water pipeline owned by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Additionally, the 6.65 km stretch from Salt Lake Sector-V to Haldiram is delayed, as the state government has not yet agreed on cost-sharing arrangements for the project.

A significant project that has garnered attention is the proposed extension of the metro from Howrah to Chuchura. The proposal was raised in Parliament, noting the severe overcrowding on local trains in the region. Howrah, a key junction on the Howrah-Bandel mainline, serves a large number of commuters, and extending the metro to Chuchura is seen as a potential solution to alleviate pressure on the existing rail network. The Railway Ministry has acknowledged the proposal, with discussions ongoing regarding traffic projections and the feasibility of the extension.

In addition to these ongoing projects, the Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has emphasized that the successful completion of metro projects depends on resolving challenges such as land acquisition, utility shifting, and state-level cooperation. He has sought the support of the West Bengal government to expedite these processes. The completion of the metro expansion is crucial for improving urban mobility and meeting the growing transportation needs of Kolkata’s population. The railway administration is focused on overcoming these administrative and logistical hurdles to ensure that the metro system continues to evolve as a key public transport option.