The Kolkata Metro Beleghata-IT Centre corridor could begin commercial services by December, following trial runs on the 4.5-km stretch.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has requested Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its inauguration.
The stretch connects Beleghata with the IT Centre in Sector V. Commercial operations are expected to begin after the completion of testing and certification.
Adhikari also requested that services start before major events scheduled in Kolkata in December, including the International Film Festival.
Trial runs underway on Beleghata-Sector V stretch
The Beleghata-IT Centre section forms part of the 32-km Kavi Subhash-Jai Hind corridor, also known as Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line.
The project was approved in 2010 and is being developed in five phases. Services on the Kavi Subhash (New Garia)-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby) section began in 2024.
Metro operations were subsequently extended from the Ruby section to Beleghata.
Trial runs on the Beleghata-Sector V stretch have been underway since Mahalaya. Commercial services will begin after the required testing and certification processes are completed.
Chingrighata viaduct work and project delays
The Chingrighata section has been a longstanding issue for the corridor. Vaishnaw criticised the previous state government over delays and alleged obstruction of project work.
He said the 366-metre viaduct at Chingrighata was completed in 17 days after remaining stalled for 17 months.
The comments came amid discussions on the remaining work and the proposed opening of the Beleghata-Sector V stretch.
West Bengal seeks railway connectivity to Gangasagar
Adhikari also sought central assistance for a railway connection to the pilgrimage site of Gangasagar.
He requested the Railway Ministry to explore connectivity through a tunnel or bridge, highlighting the large number of pilgrims visiting the site during Makar Sankranti.
The state government has also been pursuing the proposed Muriganga Bridge, with efforts aimed at completing it by 2029.
The requests were raised during discussions around railway development in West Bengal, including the inauguration of the Khatipura-Tatanagar-Santragachi Express.
The proposed metro opening and the requests for additional railway connectivity form part of the wider discussions on transport infrastructure in the state.
