Metro Railway Upgrades Third Rail on Blue Line from New Garia to Dakshineswar

07 Aug 2024 CW Team

Metro Railway is upgrading the third rail on its oldest corridor, the Blue Line between New Garia and Dakshineswar, to enhance energy efficiency and enable trains to run at shorter intervals. The third rail, which supplies power to the trains, is being replaced in phases with an aluminium version, starting at Maidan and Girish Park stations.

According to a Metro official, aluminium is a superior conductor of electricity compared to steel. This upgrade is expected to minimise system voltage drops and energy losses, resulting in faster train acceleration. The official stated that the aluminium third rail would reduce energy loss by 84 per cent, saving approximately Rs 10 million per kilometre annually and cutting carbon emissions by 50,000 tons over its lifetime.

Preparatory work has begun at Girish Park and Maidan stations, carried out overnight after commercial services end. The main components, shipped from Hamburg, Germany, arrived in Calcutta in late July and are anticipated to reach the installation sites shortly.

The spokesperson noted that the delivered material will cover around 5 kilometres of work and that the entire 35-kilometer Blue Line is expected to be completed in two years. Currently, train intervals during rush hours are about five minutes, but with the aluminium third rail, the frequency could improve to every two-and-a-half minutes.

In addition to the aluminum third rail, more electrical substations will be necessary to achieve the desired rush-hour frequency, as these substations provide power to the third rail.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Lucknow Metro East-West Corridor Consultancy Contract Awarded

The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has awarded the first construction-related consultancy contract for the Lucknow Metro East West Corridor to a joint venture of AYESA Ingenieria Arquitectura SAU and AYESA India Pvt Ltd. The firm was declared the lowest bidder for the Detailed Design Consultant contract for Lucknow Metro Line-2 under Phase 1B and the contract was recommended following the financial bid. The contract is valued at Rs 159.0 million (mn), covering design services for the corridor. Lucknow Metro Line-2 envisages the construction of an 11.165 kilometre corridor connecting Cha..

Div Com Kashmir Urges Fast Tracking Of Jhelum Water Transport Project

The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir has called for the fast-tracking of the Jhelum water transport project, urging district administrations and relevant agencies to accelerate planning and clearances. In a meeting convened at the divisional headquarters, the commissioner instructed officials from irrigation, public health engineering and municipal departments to prioritise the project and coordinate survey and design work. The directive emphasised removal of administrative bottlenecks and close monitoring to ensure timely mobilisation of resources and contractors. Officials were told to in..

Interarch Reports Strong Q3 And Nine Month Results

Interarch Building Solutions Limited reported unaudited results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025, recording strong revenue growth driven by execution and a robust order book. Net revenue for the third quarter rose by 43.7 per cent to Rs 5.225 billion (bn), compared with Rs 3.636 bn a year earlier, reflecting heightened demand in pre-engineered building projects. The company’s total order book as at 31 January 2026 stood at Rs 16.85 bn, supporting near-term visibility. EBITDA excluding other income for the quarter increased by 43.2 per cent to Rs 503 million (mn),..