Kolkata Metro Railway is awaiting formal approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) following the inspection of the crucial Esplanade–Sealdah section of the East-West Metro corridor, connecting Howrah Maidan to Sector V. The inspection, conducted on April 27 by CRS Sumeet Singhal, covered both eastbound and westbound tunnels and included a detailed assessment of tunnel ventilation systems, track integrity, and emergency protocols. According to a Metro spokesperson, the CRS expressed satisfaction with the section's readiness for passenger operations, but final clearance is still pending.

To facilitate preparations for full commissioning of the entire 16.55 km corridor, Kolkata Metro has announced reduced services on Green Line-1 on April 29. Instead of the usual 106 services, only 90 trains will operate, with an increased interval of 20 minutes between trains.

A late-evening statement from Metro Railway confirmed: “In connection with the commissioning of commercial services on the entire stretch of Green Line, services will be limited on April 29 to ensure operational readiness.

During his site visit, Singhal inspected the underground stretch at Bowbazar, where tunnel boring activities in 2019 had led to land subsidence and damage to nearby properties in Durga Pituri Lane. A second incident in October 2022 had further delayed progress and pushed the project timeline back. The CRS team also visited the Operational Control Centre at Salt Lake, interacting with officials and reviewing system coordination. The inspection was attended by KMRCL Managing Director Anuj Mittal, Metro Railway’s Principal Chief Engineer, and other senior officials from both Metro Railway and KMRCL.

Current Status:

At present, services are operational on the Howrah Maidan–Esplanade and Sealdah–Sector V segments. Once approval is granted, the commissioning of the full East-West corridor will enable seamless travel across the city, enhancing commuter convenience and connectivity.