Kolkata Metro to run till 4 am during Puja; Services on Blue line every 2 minutes

As Durga Puja approaches, preparations are in full swing, and the excitement for pandal-hopping is palpable across Kolkata. With the crowds in the markets and mandap construction in progress, many are eagerly awaiting the Puja metro schedule, as late-night pandal-hopping is a tradition for Kolkatans.

The metro services, which run until midnight during the four main Puja days every year, have announced slight changes to their timings to accommodate the rush and festivities. Extra trains have also been running on weekends in recent weeks in anticipation of the Puja crowds. For faster travel time, metro services on the Blue line will run on a frequency of every 2 minutes, officials said.

The metro service will see changes from Chaturthi through Ekadashi, with additional rakes and extended service hours. Here’s a breakdown of the metro timings and services for different routes during Durga Puja:

On Chaturthi (October 7), a total of 288 rakes will operate between Kabi Subhash and Dakshineswar. The first train will depart at 6:50 AM, and the last at 10:40 PM. Similarly, 106 rakes will be running on the Sealdah-Sector Five route, with the first train at 6:55 AM and the last at 9:40 PM. On the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan route, 118 rakes will run between 7 AM and 10:30 PM. A total of 18 rakes will operate on the Joka-Majherhat route from 8:30 AM to 3:35 PM, with a frequency of 50 minutes. On the Kabi Subhash-Ruby More route, 74 rakes will run every 20 minutes from 8 AM to 8 PM.

For Saptami (October 10), 248 rakes will operate on the Kabi Subhash-Dakshineswar route, running from 1 PM to 4 AM. On the Sector Five-Sealdah route, 64 rakes will run every 20 minutes from 1 PM to 11:30 PM. Meanwhile, 118 rakes will operate on the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan route, with services every 12 to 15 minutes from 1:30 PM to 1:45 PM.

On Ashtami and Navami (October 11), 248 rakes will run between Kabi Subhash and Dakshineswar, with services from 1 PM to 4 AM. The Sector Five-Sealdah route will have 64 rakes, running every 20 minutes from 1 PM to 11:30 PM. Similarly, 118 rakes will be operational between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan.

On Dasami (October 12), 174 rakes will run between Kabi Subhash and Dakshineswar, with services from 1 PM to midnight. The Sector Five-Sealdah route will have 48 rakes, running every 20 minutes from 2 PM to 9:45 PM. The Esplanade-Howrah Maidan route will see 82 rakes in operation.

For Ekadashi (October 13), 130 rakes will operate between Kabi Subhash and Dakshineswar, from 9 AM to 9:40 PM. No metro services will be available from Sector Five to Sealdah, though 46 rakes will run on the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan route.