• By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
  • Sat, 20 Sep 2025 06:13 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Kolkata Metro Update: To contain the heavy footfall, which is expected to rise to around 12 lakh during the Durga Puja celebrations, the Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited (KMRCL) has launched new ‘smart tourist cards’. 

The 5-day Durga Puja, which is set to conclude on October 2, is expected to draw lakhs of crowds who will come to the City of Joy to witness this grand festival. With lakhs of people expected to come, the metro authorities have decided to offer these ‘special’ cards in order to remove congestion at the ticketing counters. 

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All About Smart Tourist Cards 

With the special Tourist Smart Card, tourists will be able to travel around the city for an unlimited time period. These cards are available in two options for the passengers- valid for three days at Rs 250 or five days at Rs 550.  

Designed to eliminate the hassle of queuing for tokens or topping up pay-as-you-go cards, the Smart Tourist Card is ideal for tourists and pandal-hoppers planning multiple journeys each day. The cards can be purchased at booking counters in all metro stations.

Regular Smart Cards, which deduct fare per trip and offer a 5 per cent bonus on recharge value, will also be available for the commuters. Additionally, passengers can also continue to utilise the mobile QR tickets via the ‘Aamar Kolkata Metro’ app, which also includes the 5 per cent fare rebate.

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Special Train Services Starting From Mahalaya

In addition to the launch of the smart card, special metro services are scheduled to begin from Mahalaya on Sunday, September 21. The Blue Line, which is the ‘backbone’ of Kolkata’s metro connectivity, is set to get 182 new trains. 

This is a significant increase from the usual 130 trains that run on Sundays. The first trains from key stations like Noapara, Dakshineswar, and Dum Dum will depart between 6.50 am and 6.55 am. However, the timing of the last services remains unchanged.