The Metro Railway authorities in Kolkata conducted trial runs on the newly extended stretch of the Orange Line, spanning from Ruby Crossing to Beleghata station along the EM Bypass. Supervised by senior officials, the trial runs took place between 11:22 am and 12:35 pm, a Metro Railway Kolkata spokesperson said.
Kolkata’s Orange Line
The extended section of the Orange Line in Kolkata is about 4.39 kilometres. This section runs from Hemanta Mukhopadhyay station in the south to Beleghata in the north.
The trial runs saw two trips being made along both up and down lines, scrutinising various parameters such as track fitness, emergency brake functionality, power supply, proper rake docking, and station staff responsiveness.
Currently, commercial services operate between New Garia and Ruby Crossing, encompassing five stations: Kavi Subhash, Satyajit Ray, Jyotirindra Nandi, Kavi Sukanta, and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay. With the extension reaching Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, commuters will now enjoy the convenience of interchanging between the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-New Garia) and the Orange Line at Kavi Subhash station.
The recent inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety offered valuable suggestions for infrastructure enhancements along this extended stretch.
(With PTI inputs)