Saturday launch likely for Metro’s Joka-Taratala line – Times of India

KOLKATA: If all goes according to plans, the city will get its third Metro, the Joka-Tartala line, on Saturday. Union home minister Amit Shah is likely to flag off the truncated 6.5km segment of the Joka-Esplanade corridor that day. However, commuters may have to wait for a few days – probably till Christmas Day for commercial rides.
Engineers of Metro Railway, which is in charge of the city’s rapid transit network, and implementing agency Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) were asked to keep the system ready for the Saturday launch of the truncated 6.5km section of the city’s Purple Line (14km Joka-Esplanade corridor).
But senior officials, including Metro Railway general manager Arun Arora, preferred to remain tight-lipped about dates. “Even after the official launch, it might take a few days for commercial operations of the Joka-Taratala line to begin. We would love to make it a Christmas gift for Kolkata,” Arora said.
But those involved with the project, the foundation of which was laid by Mamata Banerjee as railway minister, sounded upbeat that the section is seeing the light of operations almost 12 years after its inception.
Anup Kumar Lihala, director, Premco Rail Engineers Limited, which has been part of station beautification, said, “We have been waiting with bated breath for the commercial operations as much as the people of Behala.”
Some crucial operational decisions may be taken on Friday after Chandrima Roy, principal chief operations manager (PCOM), Metro Railway, inspects the stretch, including the Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar and Taratala stations. Train trials will also be run to deduce frequencies, said an engineer.
On Thursday trials were conducted at 83kmph (without halt) and 50kmph (stopping at each station dotting the stretch). One of two AC rakes, MR-418, will be used for passenger services while the other one is standby. The two AC Medha rakes have been ferried from the North-South Line’s (Blue Line) Noapara carshed.
The broad gauge Metro line, with its six elevated stations dotting Diamond Harbour Road, got the green light on November 16 as the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) granted the mandatory approval. The safety regulator has sanctioned a maximum speed of 50kmph on the main line and 15kmph on points and crossings.
Speed is a tricky issue with the new Metro line. It will run on the one-train-only system as will the 5.4km New Garia-Ruby of the New Garia-Airport corridor, also ready for launch, because of delay in inviting tenders for the advanced communication-based train control (CBTC) signalling. While one train chugs in and out of the tracks, another will be standby. The 80kmph speed limit for the city’s existing lines – the North-South and the East-West corridors – is not allowed here.