Kolkata Metro Halts Sunday Services for Critical CBTC System Testing

Kolkata's Metro Railway will halt Sunday services on the East-West Metro corridor from March 23 to test the CBTC system. This move affects Howrah Maidan–Salt Lake Sector V travel. Previous suspensions aimed to evaluate signaling efficacy. Operations along the entire stretch could start after successful testing.

The Kolkata Metro Railway announced that all services on the East-West Metro corridor will be suspended every Sunday starting March 23. This temporary halt is to facilitate the necessary testing of the Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) system.

The suspension will affect travel between Howrah Maidan and Salt Lake Sector V. Previous suspensions occurred earlier this year, and the ongoing effort is to ensure the efficacy of signaling and communication systems along this route. The blockage, known as a 'traffic block,' is vital for thorough testing before full operations can begin.

Disruptions from past tunneling work have delayed service commencement on the Esplanade-Sealdah stretch. These tests aim to resolve safety and operational concerns on the 16.6-km-long corridor. After successful testing, Metro authorities plan to launch full services across the entire line by the end of the year.

(With inputs from agencies.)