The Metro Railway Kolkata has announced that no final decision has been made regarding the proposed 45-day suspension of services along the entire 16.6 km East-West Metro corridor. The shutdown is under consideration to facilitate the installation of the Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling system, a critical step toward seamless connectivity between Howrah Maidan and Salt Lake Sector V.
The implementing agency, Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (KMRCL), has recommended a block from February 8 to March 24 to unify the signaling system. This upgrade aims to enhance connectivity between major transit hubs like Howrah and Sealdah stations and the IT hub in Salt Lake.
A spokesperson for Metro Railway Kolkata acknowledged the potential disruption such a suspension would cause, stating, Stopping train operations for an extended period will inconvenience thousands of commuters, leading to a significant impact on services. We will make a final decision after careful consideration of all aspects.
Currently, truncated Metro services operate between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade and between Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V.
Book Fair Concerns
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the timing of the proposed suspension. Tridib Chatterjee, president of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, has written to Metro authorities urging them not to suspend services from January 30 to February 8, citing the inconvenience it would cause during the Kolkata Book Fair at Central Park Salt Lake. The fair attracts thousands of visitors, and any disruption could severely affect attendance.
The Metro spokesperson clarified that while two Sunday blocks in January have been approved, the decision regarding the 45-day shutdown is still pending. Metro authorities assured that they would announce any service suspensions well in advance and aim to start full commercial operations along the East-West corridor by the end of the year.