Lone rake pulls Purple Line ops, normal services from today
2
3
Kolkata: The currently operational curtailed services of the Joka-Esplanade Metro are likely to continue to face challenges unless new rakes are added immediately.
An official, however, said late on Wednesday that normal services would be available from Thursday.
Till the beginning of May, the Joka-Majerhat section of the Purple Line ran on a basic signalling system, offering 18 services at 50-minute intervals, from 8.55 am to 3.35 pm. Following the advanced signalling upgrade, 44 services were added from May 9, and the six-hour services doubled. The automatic CBTC or communication-based train control signal helps improve frequencies. Even as the operational window was expanded (8 am to 8 pm), the old system continued, with a single rake running up and down the 8-km corridor, while another remained on standby.
In the extreme heat, the CBTC-compliant rakes, which require meticulous maintenance, became overworked, and consequently, the speed slowed down. The targeted 24-minute frequencies couldn't be met, officials said. On Monday evening, one of the rakes (No. 417) failed, following which the reserved train was put into service. Instead of 62 services, 48 were provided at 40-minute intervals.
"The Purple Line rake runs at around 30 kmph, covering 8 km in 16-17 minutes.
Add 5 minutes for reversing. That's a 24-minute gap between two services, rather tight for an overworked rake," an official said.
Kolkata Metro is supposed to receive 20 new eight-coach rakes in the next 10 months for the Purple, Orange (New Garia-Ruby), and Yellow (Noapara-Airport) lines, which are ready for meaningful expansions. "Equipped with an automatic CBTC signalling system, the Medha rakes made in Chennai's Integral Coach Factory should reach Kolkata Metro within the current fiscal," an official said.
Another 37 rakes were also ready, but the dispatching schedule had not been finalized, he said.
Metro Railway's fully air-conditioned fleet currently includes 31 rakes for the Blue (North-South), three for the Orange, two for the Purple, and 17 six-coach BEML rakes for Green (East-West Metro) lines. "Clearly that's not enough for an expanding Metro network. There aren't enough manpower either to seamlessly run the existing 31km North-South (Blue) line, which ferries six lakh passengers daily, and East-West Metro, with a lakh daily passenger count.
When the EW Metro starts its full 16-km length, another five lakh passengers will use the services every day. On top of this, the Purple and Orange lines are being expanded, and the Yellow line is set to roll out," said Subhasis Sengupta, vice-president, INTTUC-affiliated Metro Railway Pragatisil Sramik Karmachari Union. "Metro just about managed when the Purple Line was being run for six hours, on a single shift of workers, with one rake at its disposal. When hours doubled, two shifts were introduced, with limited manpower. The system is bound to fall apart if operations are expanded without strengthening infrastructure."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Don't diss us, we've built our lives here': Bengaluru doctor slams Whitefield shaming
A Bengaluru-based cardiologist's take on the city's ongoing tug-of-war between its historic core and rapidly urbanised outer areas has sparked a fresh debate on social media. Bengaluru doctor defended Whitefield which often gets trolled on social media. Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, a well-known voice on X, weighed in on the long-running banter surrounding Whitefield and other eastern Bengaluru neighbourhoods that are often trolled online for being too far removed from the city's older, culturally rich southern zones such as Jayanagar, Basavanagudi, and Malleswaram. Also Read - Infosys unveils advanced tech centre in Karnataka's Hubballi, focuses on AI, cybersecurity, and space tech Take a look at the post In his post, Dr Krishnamurthy, who has lived in Whitefield since 2004, described the area as self-sufficient and no different from Bengaluru's traditional hubs. 'The number of times I'd need to leave Whitefield in a month is almost zero. Whitefield is a city by itself. People who think this is too far... no need to come here. For the rest, there's Metro and Volvo buses. We've got good schools, hospitals, nightlife, restaurants, malls, you name it.' He also highlighted a deeper socioeconomic divide at play. 'People who praise places like Jayanagar or Malleshwaram often do so because they inherited property or had the means to buy there long ago. Many of us without that generational wealth made homes in places like Whitefield or Sarjapur Road. Dismissing these areas is just another way of flaunting privilege,' he added. The post resonated with many users, but also prompted counterviews. One user responded, saying, 'Areas like Jayanagar, Basavanagudi, and Malleswaram still hold on to the identity of old Bangalore. The newer zones feel like urban sprawl. Maybe they'll grow into communities with character, but not yet.' Another added, 'It's not just about wealth, old Bengaluru localities offer warmth, community, and a sense of belonging, which many Kannada-speaking families look for.' Also Read - Bengaluru Google recruiter's post on hilarious job assumptions: 'Tell Sundar GPay isn't working' Some critiques also pointed to the lack of public infrastructure in Whitefield, noting challenges like poor roads, limited civic amenities, and low voter engagement. 'Public services in Whitefield are almost non-existent. Hopefully, civic development will catch up soon,' a user wrote.
News18
a day ago
- News18
Mumbai Metro Line 6: Lokhandwala-Vikhroli Line Will Put Your East-West Travel In Pink Of Condition
Last Updated: Mumbai Metro Pink Line: What is the route of Lokhandwala to Vikhroli EEH Metro-6 line? What are the stations? Will it be linked to other lines? When will it be ready? Mumbai Metro Line 6: Amid Mumbai's Metro maze, line 6, the connector from Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli (15 km), will play a key role in linking the suburbs to the city. The Rs 6,672-crore pink line is projected to be operational by late 2026. What is the route? What are the stations? Will it be linked to other lines? Mumbai Metro-6 explained. Mumbai Metro-6: What is the route of the pink line? What are the stations? Length: 15.18-15.31 km, fully elevated It will have 13 stations running West-East from Swami Samarth Nagar (Lokhandwala) to Vikhroli (Eastern Express Highway): Swami Samarth Nagar Adarsh Nagar Jogeshwari (West) JVLR Junction Mahakali Caves Vikhroli (EEH) What will be the cost of Mumbai Metro Line 6? Estimated cost: Rs 6,672-6,716 crore. Funding from MMRDA, state government, and international loans (AIIB, ADB) under Maharashtra loan guarantees for mega projects. How far has Mumbai Metro-6 reached? What is the deadline? Expected opening: Civil structures: completed by mid 2025 Full operations: End of 2026 to early 2027 after rolling stock and signalling systems are installed. How many trains will Mumbai Metro-6 have? 108 metro cars for 6-coach trains under CBTC signalling Depot located at Kanjurmarg (15.02 ha) (approvals in process) Projected ridership: 7.69 lakh passengers/day by 2031 What will be the timings and frequency of Mumbai Metro-6? Operating Hours: 6 AM to 10 PM Frequency: Off peak: 8-10 minutes How will Mumbai Metro-6 save officegoers' time? It will cut JVLR commute time by 30–45 minutes compared to road travel Estimated redistribution of 30% of road traffic to metro along JVLR, easing congestion and reducing air pollution. How will Mumbai Metro-6 impact Mumbai and office commute? Will Metro-6 be linked to other lines and public transport? Metro 7 (Red): JVLR Junction Metro 3 (Aqua): SEEPZ Village Metro 4 (Green): Kanjurmarg West Suburban Central Line: Kanjurmarg Interchanges are designed with shared concourse space for seamless transfers. What will be Mumbai Metro-6 tickets be? Will use Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system: smart cards or QR tokens Likely fare structure (consistent with other lines): ₹10 (≤ 2 km), ₹20 (2–5 km), ₹30 (5–12 km), ₹40 (12–18 km), ₹50 (18–24 km) Tips for riders: Use official booths or mobile apps to top up cards Check fare slab before journey Be mindful of last train schedules (10 PM) Use women's coach and keep emergency contacts handy Are there plans to connect Mumbai Metro-6 to other lines in the future? top videos View all Part of a metro network expanding toward Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Wadala CSMT (Line 11), and Thane Bhiwandi Kalyan (Line 5). MMRDA secured loan guarantees to fund metro projects including Lines 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 to build a 300-km network by 2030. About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ...Read More tags : Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd Mumbai metro Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation news18 specials view comments Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: August 06, 2025, 17:04 IST News cities » mumbai-news Mumbai Metro Line 6: Lokhandwala-Vikhroli Line Will Put Your East-West Travel In Pink Of Condition Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Blue Line ACs, ventilation system to undergo 500cr overhaul after 40 years
1 2 Kolkata: Metro Railway has decided to pump Rs 500 crore to revamp the four-decades old air-conditioning and ventilation system between Rabindra Sarobar and Belgachhia stations in the North-South or Blue Line. There are 15 underground stations in this line. Sources said the tendering for overhauling the environmental control system (ECS) or the air-conditioning system for 15 stations dotting the 16.9 km section from Rabindra Sarobar to Belgachhia that has been floated will also include replacing the AC and ventilation of the twin tunnels. "The work is mainly aimed at ensuring cooler stations and tunnels. It will also improve the fire safety system, making sure there is proper ventilation inside the tunnels when a fire breaks out and passengers need to be evacuated," a source said. He said the air-conditioning and ventilation will be upgraded in accordance with the current ambient temperature, which has risen considerably since metro first started operations around 40 years ago. The 15 underground Blue Line stations have centralised air-conditioning systems which include water-cooled chillers, towers, coils, and ducts through which cool air is released into the platform, concourse, and mezzanine levels. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Man Saves Pennies For 45 Years Despite Warning Undo "These are now considered primitive. They will have to be replaced with modern heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems," an official said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The Blue Line, currently running a 30 km underground and elevated corridor from Dakshineswar to Shaheed Khudiram, was India's first underground metro when its 3.4 km Esplanade-Bhowanipore stretch was launched on Oct 24, 1984. Over the years, it expanded north and southwards across the city's central axis. The southern terminal station at New Garia, Kavi Subhash, was shut down on July 28, when cracks were spotted on the columns supporting the Dakshineswar-bound or Up platform. Truncated operations are run till the second last southern station at Dhalai Bridge, Shaheed Khudiram. Metro Railway announced that the Kavi Subhash station will be rebuilt. The tender process is likely to end this month, following which the lowest bidder will start the work. Sources said the work will take at least four or five years to complete. "The work will be done while the commercial operations continue uninterrupted. Therefore, work will take time, unlike greenfield projects," a source said. Surface stations like Dum Dum, Noapara, and those between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge), Shaheed Khudiram, and Kavi Subhash (New Garia) don't have cooling units. Officials said the basic design of North-South Metro, done by IIT-Kharagpur, was advanced, but the various equipment used in the metro system need upgradation and replacement due to the passage of time. Keeping this in mind, Metro Railway engaged RITES to conduct a health study.
