Work worth Rs 671.72 crore sanctioned to strengthen North–South Corridor of Kolkata Metro Railway

In a major step towards enhancing metro rail capacity, work worth Rs 671.72 crore has been sanctioned to strengthen the North–South Corridor of Kolkata Metro Railway.

This includes the provision of 7 new Traction Substations at a cost of Rs 291.06 crore.

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Augmentation and upgradation of Auxiliary Substation (ASS) and Traction Substation (TSS) systems from KESP (Esplanade Metro) to KMUK (Kavi Subhash – New Garia) for the North–South Corridor of Kolkata Metro Railway, along with augmentation of power supply at elevated sections from KNTJ (Netaji Metro Station) to KKVS (Kavi Subhash Metro Station), including enhancement from existing 11 KV system to 33 KV system, at a cost of Rs 380.66 crore.

“The Kolkata Metro system, built in the 1980s, was originally designed to support train operations at a frequency of about 5 minutes,” the Ministry of Railways said on Saturday.

With rising passenger demand, the requirement for higher frequency operations has increased. With the sanctioning of this project, Kolkata Metro will be enabled to operate at a 2.5-minute headway, significantly enhancing line capacity and service frequency.

The existing substations and equipment are reaching capacity limits and face maintenance challenges due to the unavailability of spare parts. The approved upgradation will ensure a reliable power supply, support higher train frequency, and improve overall passenger service.