The 4.5 km Beleghata-IT Centre corridor of the Kolkata Metro is expected to begin commercial services by December, subject to the completion of trial runs, testing and certification. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has asked Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the stretch.

The corridor, also known as the Sector V stretch, forms part of Phase 3 of the 32 km Kavi Subhash-Jai Hind route. The project was approved in 2010 and was planned for construction in five phases. Services between Kavi Subhash, also known as New Garia, and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, or Ruby, began in 2024, while operations were extended from Ruby to Beleghata last year.

Trial runs on the Beleghata-IT Centre section have been under way since Mahalaya. The state government has sought an early opening because several major events, including the international film festival, Pravasi Sammelan and the World Energy Conference, are scheduled in December. The Railway Ministry is also seeking an early date for the proposed inauguration.

Discussions also covered the long-standing Chingrighata issue, where work on a 366 m viaduct had faced delays. Vaishnaw attributed the earlier disruption to opposition from the previous state administration, while the current administration said the viaduct was completed in 17 days after remaining blocked for 17 months.

Adhikari separately requested railway connectivity to Gangasagar, a major pilgrimage destination. The site attracts about 10 mn pilgrims during Makar Sankranti, according to figures cited at the meeting. The proposed connection could involve a tunnel or bridge, while work is under way on the Muriganga Bridge, which officials aim to complete by 2029. The requests form part of wider efforts to expand rail connectivity across West Bengal.