Majerhat metro station to open before durga puja

Metro Railway General Manager P Uday Kumar Reddy announced that the Majerhat Metro station is scheduled to be launched before the Durga Puja festival. After conducting an inspection of the Majerhat stretch of the Purple line, Reddy expressed confidence in completing the Metro line up to Majerhat in time for the festival. During the inspection, officials from Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), led by Executive Director AK Roy, guided Reddy through the layout of the Majerhat Metro station and explained the passenger amenities that will be available upon its completion.

On December 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the truncated 6.5km section between Joka and Taratla. However, the new Metro, which operates on a one-train-only system without signals, saw a meager average daily footfall of 1,500. In an effort to address this, Metro Railway doubled the number of services from 12 to 24 starting from May 1, and reduced the hourly frequency to 40 minutes.

Recognizing the significant demand for a Metro in this stretch, RVNL aims to make the Majerhat station operational by September-October and extend the route by an additional 2km, which will enhance the section's overall significance. The Majerhat Metro station is located adjacent to the Eastern Railway's Majerhat station.

During the inspection, Reddy examined the passenger interchanging points with the Majerhat railway station and observed the recently launched girder from the foot of the Majerhat bridge towards Mominpore. On April 16, RVNL successfully launched the longest girder, spanning 50m atop D H Road, as part of the Majerhat bridge approach. This girder was crucial in bridging the viaduct gap until Remount Road, enabling the movement of an eight-car rake along the section. Reddy hailed this achievement as an engineering marvel.

When asked about the progress beyond Majerhat, Reddy acknowledged the existing challenges and emphasized the ongoing efforts to overcome them. He expressed hope for the cooperation of all stakeholders in their endeavors to assist the people of Kolkata. Reddy specifically mentioned RVNL's plans to initiate work on the underground section of the Joka-Esplanade route in the coming months.

In addition, Reddy conducted inspections of the Beliaghata and Barun Sengupta stations of the New Garia-Airport (Orange line) Metro, as well as the piers along the Orange line at the Metropolitan crossing.