About Kolkata Metro
The oldest metro system in use in India is the one in Kolkata. Originally conceived in the 1920s, Kolkata Metro has been the city’s fastest transport system since 1984. The Kolkata Metro had two lines in service as of February 2021: Salt Lake Sector 5 to Phool Bagan and Dakshineshwar to Kavi Subhash. Kolkata Metro is a network of at-grade, subterranean, and elevated metro stations that runs on both standard and broad-gauge railroads.
The metro system in Kolkata has been in place for decades, but it has expanded slowly. The second line didn’t start up until 2021. Four lines are being built at different stages right now.
The Metro Railway, Kolkata, and Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) jointly own and operate the Kolkata Metro. It’s interesting to note that the Kolkata Metro Railway has been designated as the 17th Indian Railways zone. As a result, Kolkata Metro is now the only metro system in India that is under Indian Railways authority.
Kolkata Metro Route Map
Kolkata Metro Fare
In Kolkata Metro, fees are assessed according to the distance traveled. Due to the current operation of two lines, commuters must pay the following fees.
| For North-South corridor Single Journey | ||
| Zone | Distance Covered | Fare in Rs |
| Zone-I | Up to 2 KM | Rs 5 |
| Zone-II | Between 2 KM to 5 KM | Rs 10 |
| Zone-III | Between 5 KM to 10 KM | Rs 15 |
| Zone-IV | Between 10 KM to 20 KM | Rs 20 |
| Zone-V | Above 20 KM | Rs 25 |
The following fees are applicable for the East-West route.
| For East-West Corridor Single Journey | |
| Distance Travelled | Fare in Rs. |
| 0 to 2 Km | Rs 5 |
| 2 to 5 Km | Rs 10 |
| 5 to 10 Km | Rs 20 |
| 10 to 16.5 Km | Rs 30 |
Travelers have another option in addition to the single Journey token: smart cards. Reloading a smart card adds more balance and saves time overusing a token.
Kolkata Metro Timings
Services for Kolkata Metro are available from 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM. During the Covid-19 outbreak, the state government adjusted the metro timings. The first train of the day may arrive at a different time every morning since trains stop for ten to twenty seconds at each station.
Metro Stations and Routes in Kolkata
Although the idea for the Kolkata metro was proposed in the 1920s, work on the project did not begin until 1970. There are two primary divisions within the Kolkata metro.
Lines of Operation
Construction-related Lines
There are presently four lines under construction and two fully operational lines in the Kolkata metro.
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Kolkata Metro: Operational Lines
There are now two active metro lines: Green Line 2 from Salt Lake Sector 5 to Phool Bagan and Blue Line, often known as Line 1, from Dakshineshwar to Kavi Subhash.
Kolkata Metro: Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash on Blue Line 1
The first line of the Kolkata Metro to operate is Line 1, sometimes referred to as the North-South Metro Line. The Blue Line, which stretches over three districts in West Bengal—North 24 Parganas, Kolkata, and South 24 Parganas—covers a total distance of more than 31 km. The Kavi Subhash metro station, formerly known as the New Garia metro station, is connected to the Dakshineshwar neighborhood by this line. There are two at-grade, nine elevated, and fifteen subterranean Blue Line covers outside the station.
The following stations are on the Kolkata Blue Line.
| Dakshineshwar Station | Baranagar Station | Noapara Station | Dum Dum Station | Belgachhia Station | Shyam Bazar Station | Shibhabazar Sutanuti Station | Girish Park | Mahatma Gandhi Road | Central (Baubazar) | Chandni Chowk | Esplanade | Park Street |
| Maidan | Rabindra Sadan | Netaji Bhavan | Jatin das Park | Kali Ghat | Rabindra Sarobar | Mahanayak Uttam Kumar |
Kolkata Metro Green Line 2: Salt Lake Sector 5 to Phool Bagan
The Kolkata Metro’s Green Line is also known as the East-West Metro line because of the way it is aligned. The Kolkata metro’s most recent operating line is this one. In October 2020, the Green Line Metro was put into service for the general public.
The Salt Lake Sector 5 neighborhood and the Phoolbagan area are connected by the Kolkata Metro’s Green Line. The entire path will be 22 kilometers long once it is operational.
The following stations are currently in operation:
| Salt Lake Sector 5 | Karunamoyee | Central Park | City Centre | Bengal Chemical | IFA Salt Lake Stadium | Phoolb |
Howrah Maidan, in the East-West Metro circuit, is also planned to house the nation’s deepest metro station. At the Esplanade metro station, it will develop into a significant hub for the East-West and North-South routes.
Green Line 2 Kolkata Metro’s Extension Would Be India’s First Underwater Metro
By the end of 2023, a proposed expansion of the Green Line—also referred to as India’s first underwater metro—should begin service. The service would facilitate commuter travel between the two cities by linking Kolkata’s Esplanade and the Howrah railway station.
- This project is being built by the Metro Railway in Kolkata and is a part of the East-West Metro route. It is the only metro in the nation that Indian Railways is in charge of.
- Between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, the majority of the stations have been finished. At the station complex, the national transporter is now working on various projects like beautification, electrification, and other small projects.
- Automatic Fare Collection and Passenger Control (AFC-PC) gates are being placed at the concourse level of Howrah station to guarantee the unhindered movement of commuters.
- The commuters may easily enter and depart the paid area of the Howrah Metro station premises thanks to the state-of-the-art AFC gates, which can handle 45 persons per minute.
Kolkata Metro: Joka to Taratala on Purple Line 1
On January 02, 2023, the purple line of Kolkata Metro commenced its commercial operations. The Joka – Esplanade Metro’s Joka to Taratala segment is where the activities got underway. There were more than 5,000 footsteps on the purple line.
The six stations Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar, and Taratala are covered in the 6.5 KM section. On the Kolkata metro’s Purple line, around 12 daily trains are currently scheduled, comprising six up and six down returns. These scheduled runs currently have the following times: 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., and 5 p.m. from Joka. There are several departure and return times from Taratala: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 p.m.
| Joka | Thakurpukur | Sakherbazar | Behala Chowrasta | Behala Bazar | Taratala |
Under Construction Metro Lines in Kolkata
The following lines are in various phases of development in addition to the Green Line and Blue Line, which are currently in service. The network is anticipated to link the whole city of Kolkata once it is operational. The lines that are now being built can be summed up as follows:
| Metro Line No. | Colour Code | A Year and To Run From | Number of Stations | Length in KM | Alignment | Planned Terminals | Executed by | Other Names | |
| 3 | Purple Line | 2024 (Joka to Majerhat) | 14 | 16.2 | Southwestern | Diamond Park | Esplanade | Rail Vikas Nigam Limited | Also called the Joka metro |
| 4 | Yellow Line | 2023 (Noapara to Biman Bandar) | 10 | 16.8 | Northeastern | Noapara | Barasat | Metro Railway, Kolkata | Also known as the Barasat metro |
| 5 | Pink Line | 11 | 12.4 | Northern | Baranagar | Barrackpore | Rail Vikas Nigam Limited | Also known as Barrackpore metro | |
| 6 | Orange Line | 2024 (Kavi Subhash to Salt Lake Sector V) | 24 | 29.8 | North–South via Eastern | Kavi Subhash | Biman Bandar | Rail Vikas Nigam Limited | Also called as Airport metro |
Extension of the Kolkata Metro: Purple Line 3 from Joka to Majerhat
The Purple Line, or Line 3 of the Kolkata metro, is a line that is currently being built. When finished, Kolkata Metro’s Purple line will link Esplanade in the north with Joka in the south. After work is finished, Park Street will link to Kolkata metro Line 1. There, Kolkata Metro Line 2 will be connected by the Green Line metro, which would run parallel to Esplanade.
Purple Line 3 will cover the following stations.
| Diamond Park (Joka) | IIM Kolkata | Joka | Thakurpur | Sakherbazar | Behala Chowrasta | Taratala |
| Behala Bazar | Majerhat | Mominpur | Kidderpore | Victoria | Park Street | Esplanade |
There are three stages to the development of Purple Line 3.
- Majerhat to Joka (Under Construction)
- Majerhat to the Esplanade (North) (After Phase 1)
- Diamond Park (South) to Joka (After Phase 2)
Yellow Line 4 of the Kolkata Metro Extension: Noapara to Barasat (North 24 Parganas)
The Kolkata Metro Line 4 expansion is being carried out by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited. When it is finished, the yellow line in West Bengal’s North 24 Pargana district will link the Noapara and Barasat areas. It will be a section that is both raised and somewhat subterranean. Metro Line 6 (now under construction) will be connected by Yellow Line 4, which will also provide an interchange station at NSCBI Airport.
There will be ten metro stations overall on Yellow Line 4:
| Noapara | Dum Dum Cantt | Jessore Road | Biman Bandar | Birati |
| Michael Nagar | New Barrackpore | Madhyamgram | Hridaypur | Barasat |
From the aforementioned stations, Noapara is already a functional stop on Line 1. When finished, yellow Line 4 will be more than 18 km long.
Kolkata Metro Pink Line 5 Extension: from Baranagar to Barackpore
A planned metro route is Kolkata Metro’s Pink Line 5. Its building is still in its early stages. The purpose of this line is to improve the connection between mainland Kolkata and North Kolkata.
The Pink Line 5 in Kolkata will have 11 stops. Among these is the Baranagar station on Blue Line 1, which is now in use.
| Baranagar | Kamarhati | Agarpara | Panihati | Sodepur | Subhash Nagar |
| Khardaha | Tata Gate | Titagarh | Talpukur | Barrackpore |
Except for Baranagar, a Line 1 station that is currently in service, all of the metro stations of Pink Line 5 listed above are planned. Another proposal from the State government is to realign the Kalyani Motorway route.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Ans: KMRC’s full form is Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation.
Ans: As of March 2022, the Kolkata metro has two operating lines.
Ans: The metro’s Green and Blue Lines are in service in Kolkata.
