PMO nod awaited for full launch of Kolkata’s East-West Metro corridor from Howrah to Sector 5

Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) is awaiting final approval from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to operationalise the full East-West Metro Corridor between Howrah Maidan and Salt Lake Sector 5. The corridor spans approximately 16.6 kilometres and remains partially incomplete, with the Esplanade–Sealdah section still non-operational. Officials confirmed on Friday that this is the only remaining portion to be launched for uninterrupted metro services across the entire route.

Metro services are currently functional in two disconnected segments. One section runs from Salt Lake Sector 5 to Sealdah, and the other connects Howrah Maidan to Esplanade. The missing link—Esplanade to Sealdah—is an underground stretch measuring nearly 2.6 kilometres. Once operational, it will allow seamless travel from Howrah railway station to the IT hub of Salt Lake, passing underneath the Hooghly River.

This central stretch had earlier faced multiple delays due to incidents of water seepage and land subsidence in Bowbazar. These issues affected tunnelling and structural safety, halting progress for extended periods. After addressing the engineering concerns, authorities resumed work under strict safety protocols to complete the pending portion of the project.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Sumeet Singhal, conducted a detailed inspection of the Esplanade–Sealdah stretch on April 28. Following the inspection, CRS granted the necessary safety clearance to allow metro operations on the segment. Currently, minor remaining works are being completed under specific guidelines, and the fire department’s ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) is awaited.

A senior fire services official stated, “This is a normal procedure. We are coordinating with Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation and Metro Railway Kolkata.” According to officials, once both the PMO approval and fire clearance are obtained, the entire corridor could be operational within two months, enabling continuous east-west metro connectivity for the first time.