Kolkata's East-West Metro Boost: Increased Services Amid Tunnel Works

East-West Metro services between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade in Kolkata will see increased frequency from Monday to handle peak hour traffic more effectively. The ongoing construction and tunnel strengthening work between Esplanade and Sealdah are being monitored, following a recent leakage incident at Bowbazar.

The East-West Metro services in Kolkata, specifically on the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade stretch, are set to see a boost as construction continues between the Esplanade and Sealdah stations. Starting Monday, authorities have announced an increase in train frequency during peak hours to better manage passenger traffic.

Currently, 150 trains operate in the corridor, with 76 running between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade and the remainder between Howrah Maidan and Mahakaran. From Monday, 82 trains will service the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade route, as according to the official metro statement, the service frequency during peak times will improve from 24 minutes to 20 minutes.

The construction work is part of necessary tunnel strengthening efforts following a leakage incident on September 5. This issue marked the fourth occurrence at the Bowbazar construction site since August 2019. Kolkata Metro Railway's General Manager, P Uday Kumar Reddy, inspected the site recently to oversee progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)