Trial of Howrah-Esplanade route of the E-W Metro set for April

28 Feb 2023 CW Team

The area between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan has been completed for construction. With the exception of the Mahakaran station, which is currently undergoing final preparations, all of the stations are also prepared for operation. In July, the stretch will be ready for use, and a three-day first train trial may occur two months before the finished status.

A shortened service between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade on the East-West Metro corridor was said to be in the works earlier this month by Metro Railway GM if the Sealdah-Esplanade section wasn't finished by then.

However, project officials pointed out that even after a successful trial run, the Bowbazar stretch could still be a challenge. According to them, at least one of the tunnels between Esplanade and Sealdah must be ready for regular train operations between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan so that the rakes can be transported to the Central Park depot for routine maintenance.

For fear of further subsidence, ITD-ITD Cementation, which was contracted to construct the final 2.5 km of the East-West Metro, has stopped linking the two tunnels below Nirmal Chunder Street. Since April 1st of this year, work has been underway to connect the vent shaft at Subodh Mullick Square to the twin tunnels. However, work significantly slowed down following the cave-ins on May 11 and October 14.

In order to connect the twin tunnels to the vent shaft at Subodh Mullick Square, the authorities are considering using ground freezing to strengthen the soil. The soil in this area is similar to Durga Pituri Lane in Bowbazar, where on August 31, 2019, a subsidence caused the first house to fall.

From Sector V to Sealdah, East-West Metro now operates shortened services along a 9-kilometer route. Trains traveling between Phoolbagan and Sealdah use the eastward tunnel because the west-ward tunnel is not finished.

The second week of April might see the beginning of train trials along the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section of the East-West Metro, below the Hooghly. In November of last year, the implementing organisation Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) planned to hold its first trials along the 16.6-kilometer final stretch of the corridor. However, Bowbazar's twin subsidences, the first in May and the second in October of last year, delayed the final Howrah Maidan run. The trial run between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan terminal station has been in the works ever since. The area between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan has been completed for construction. With the exception of the Mahakaran station, which is currently undergoing final preparations, all of the stations are also prepared for operation. In July, the stretch will be ready for use, and a three-day first train trial may occur two months before the finished status. A shortened service between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade on the East-West Metro corridor was said to be in the works earlier this month by Metro Railway GM if the Sealdah-Esplanade section wasn't finished by then. However, project officials pointed out that even after a successful trial run, the Bowbazar stretch could still be a challenge. According to them, at least one of the tunnels between Esplanade and Sealdah must be ready for regular train operations between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan so that the rakes can be transported to the Central Park depot for routine maintenance. For fear of further subsidence, ITD-ITD Cementation, which was contracted to construct the final 2.5 km of the East-West Metro, has stopped linking the two tunnels below Nirmal Chunder Street. Since April 1st of this year, work has been underway to connect the vent shaft at Subodh Mullick Square to the twin tunnels. However, work significantly slowed down following the cave-ins on May 11 and October 14. In order to connect the twin tunnels to the vent shaft at Subodh Mullick Square, the authorities are considering using ground freezing to strengthen the soil. The soil in this area is similar to Durga Pituri Lane in Bowbazar, where on August 31, 2019, a subsidence caused the first house to fall. From Sector V to Sealdah, East-West Metro now operates shortened services along a 9-kilometer route. Trains traveling between Phoolbagan and Sealdah use the eastward tunnel because the west-ward tunnel is not finished.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..