Kolkata Metro ticket counters shutting early; trigger inconvenience amid extended services

Kolkata Metro recently extended its operational hours on the Blue and Green lines, running trains from 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM to accommodate late-night commuters. However, this extension without hiring additional staff has introduced unexpected hurdles for passengers. Metro authorities have decided to shut down manual ticket booking counters early at 9:25 PM across stations. As a result, commuters traveling late at night are forced to rely solely on automatic ticket vending machines or mobile apps.

This sudden operational shift has left many passengers, particularly elderly citizens and those unfamiliar with digital systems, severely distressed. The primary issue with automatic vending machines is their strict exact-change requirement, which creates frequent transaction failures due to a lack of loose cash or exact fare amounts. On Monday night around 9:30 PM, long queues were witnessed at Chandni Chowk station where confused commuters struggled to purchase tickets past the counter closure deadline.

While commuters appreciate extended train operating schedules, they strongly demand the restoration of manual ticket counters until the last train leaves. Many passengers complain that forcing digital ticketing without adequate technical guidance or flexible vending machine payment options hampers daily travel. Metro authorities have not yet issued an official response regarding passenger grievances over the early counter closures.