The
Kolkata Metro was the first underground railway to be constructed in any city
of India. This network has the status of zonal railway. The Kolkata Metro which
was the country’s first, with indigenous technology, its construction was more
of a testing of new challenges. Since the commencement of construction,
the project had to contend with several problems such as non-availability of
sufficient funds till 1977-78, shifting of underground utilities, court
injunctions, irregular supply of vital materials and others. It became
operational in October, 1984 with the commissioning of partial commercial
service covering a distance of 3.40 km with five stations between Esplanade and
Bhowanipur. This was quickly followed by commuter services on another 2.15
km stretch in the north between Dum Dum and Belgachia on NOVERMBER 12, 1984.
The commuter service was extended upto Tollygunge on APRIL 29, 1986 covering a
further distance of 4.24 km making the service available over an overall
distance of 9.79 km and covering 11 stations. After a gap of over
eight years, the 1.62 km Belgachia-Shyambazar section, along with Dum Dum
-Belgachia stretch, was opened on AUGUST 13,1994.
Another
0.71 km stretch from Esplanade to Chandni Chowk was commissioned shortly
thereafter, on OCTOBER 2, 1994. The Shyambazar-Shovabazar-Girish Park (1.93 km)
and Chandni Chowk-Central (0.60 km) sections were opened on FEBRUARY 19, 1995.
Services on the entire stretch of Metro were introduced from September 27, 1995
by bridging the vital gap of 1.80 km in the middle. A dream thus came true.
Eventually
in 2009, the first 5.9 km section of a long-planned elevated southern extension
was brought into service from the former southern terminus Tollygunge, now
renamed Mahanayak Uttam Kumar, to Nazrul (planned as Garia Bazar).
Construction
of Line 2 started in 2009. It will run from Salt Lake (Bidhannagar)
Sector 5 (in east) to Howrah Railway Station (in west). Unlike line 1, which is
operated by Indian Railways, line 2 will be operated by a new company - Kolkata
Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC). Trains will be air conditioned, and underground
stations would have platform screen doors. It will use standard gauge, like
Kolkata tram, but unlike line 1, which uses broad gauge. Proposed stations are
- Salt Lake Sector 5, Karunamayi Housing Estate, Bikash Bhaban, Salt Lake City
Center, Bengal Chemical Office, Football Stadium, Phool Bagan, Sealdah Railway
Station, Central (crossing with line 1), Mahakaran, Howrah Railway Station and
Howrah Maidan. Between Mahakaran and Howrah Railway Station, the metro will run
under the Hoogly River. It will run elevated along the eastern section through
Salt Lake City.
