- PM Modi to inaugurate Beleghata-Sector V Metro stretch.
- New extension connects New Garia directly to Sector V.
- Clears Chingrighata bottleneck, eases traffic congestion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit West Bengal on Saturday, November 21, where he is expected to inaugurate several government projects. According to a News18 report, the key highlight of his visit is the inauguration of the 4.5-km Beleghata-Sector V (IT Centre) extension of Kolkata's Orange Line Metro. Once this Beleghata-Sector V stretch opens, commuters will get a direct metro connection from New Garia to Sector V.
Chingrighata Bottleneck Cleared After Government Change
Currently, Kolkata's Orange Line Metro operates on the 9.8-km stretch between Kavi Subhash (New Garia) and Beleghata. Although the full corridor is planned to connect New Garia directly to Kolkata Airport, expansion beyond Beleghata remained stalled for a long time.
During the previous Trinamool Congress government, work came to a halt at the Chingrighata crossing due to delays in permissions. Following the change of government in the state, the pending work at Chingrighata was completed rapidly, establishing the missing link between Beleghata and Sector V.
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Trial Runs Underway Between Beleghata And Sector V
Trial runs on the newly built Beleghata-Sector V stretch, which adds three new stations (Gour Kishore Ghosh, Nalban, and IT Centre), began on October 10 and are currently underway. Once mandatory safety clearances from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) are received and the Prime Minister flags off the stretch, trains will run directly between New Garia and Sector V.
In the next phase of expansion, the Orange Line will be extended further from Sector V to Kolkata Airport.
How Will It Benefit Commuters?
Once the Beleghata-Sector V stretch is operational, it will ease traffic congestion along the EM Bypass and around Beleghata while cutting travel time between South Kolkata and Sector V (IT Centre).
Additionally, passengers getting off at Sector V will be able to switch directly to the Kolkata Metro Green Line (East-West Metro), which connects Sealdah and Howrah, making travel much more convenient for daily commuters across the city.