Kolkata Commute Transformed by Metro Expansion

Quick Summary

• On August 22, 2025, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated three new metro links in Kolkata: the East-West corridor (Green line), Noapara to Jai Hind (airport) on the Yellow Line, adn Beleghata to hemanta mukhopadhyay on the Orange Line.Total track length has risen to 74 km.
• The East-West line connects Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector V and includes an under-river tunnel beneath the Hooghly River. Construction faced challenges, including displacement of residents due to land cave-ins at Bowbazar in 2019.
• Daily ridership across Kolkata Metro surged by nearly 1 lakh passengers post-launch.The green line alone averages around 1.8 lakh daily passengers during weekdays.
• Older metro lines like the North-South Blue line are facing overcrowding issues due to increased passenger flow. Riders report delays,non-functional escalators,and ventilation problems.
• New Garia’s Blue Line terminal station is shut until mid-2024 following structural damage aggravated by rains.
• private bus operators and yellow taxi drivers have reported notable income losses due to reduced dependency on their services after metro expansion.
• West Bengal Transport Minister Snehasish chakraborty suggested parallel transport routes for buses as a mitigation measure for affected business owners.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The expansion of Kolkata Metro marks a pivotal improvement in the city’s public transportation network while addressing longstanding commuter challenges such as affordability and travel time reduction. Commuters such as Deblina gangopadhyay now experience safer journeys under predictable schedules for almost half their former costs-a clear sign of urban infrastructure modernizing in alignment with citizens’ needs.

However,challenges persist regarding operational efficiency on older corridors like delays or overcrowding attributed partly to unmanaged passenger surges post-inauguration-a “teething issue” according to officials but one that demands swift logistical improvements.

The economic ripple effects for private bus operators and yellow taxi drivers highlight inevitable trade-offs behind infrastructural modernization yet emphasize integrating modes competitively aligned mass-transits Vs marginal loss Adjust resilience avenues integrations spotlightDLL transformativePHASE346 connectivity संचायक

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