News Brief
Kolkata’s First Airport Metro Link Nears Completion, Operations Likely To Be Begin By July
(X @metrorailwaykol)
Commuters travelling to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata can look forward to a hassle-free metro ride by June or July 2025, as the 7 km Noapara-Airport Metro stretch nears its final safety inspections, Times Of India reported.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is set to inspect the Dum Dum Cantonment–Bimanbandar section in April, and based on the CMRS report, the line may commence operations by June or July.
The upcoming Airport Metro station, formally named Jai Hind Metro Station, will be a game-changer for passengers from the northern suburbs.
"We plan to invite the CRS for inspection of the 4 km Dum Dum Cantonment-Bimanbandar stretch in April," Devindar Kumar, chief engineer, construction, Metro Railway was quoted as saying by ToI.
Following the CRS report, metro services are expected to launch by mid-2025.
"Depending on the CRS's inspection and approval, the Airport Metro may start operating in June or July," a source was quoted as saying by ToI.
This metro extension is a crucial part of Phase 1 of the Yellow Line, an 18 km corridor from Noapara to Barasat.
The hub station and stabling yard, 13 m below the century-old city airport, is one of Asia's largest underground facilities.
The station spanning 29,000 sqm with five platforms and huge concourse.
Initially, platforms 1 and 2 will be operational, while platforms 3, 4, and 5 will serve the Orange Line (New Garia–Airport corridor) in the future.
The station is designed to accommodate 80,000 passengers daily and have five entry points, including two subways—one linking airport Gate No.1 with walkalators for luggage-laden passengers, and another connecting Jessore Road for commuters from Birati, Barasat, and Madhyamgram.
With an extensive stabling yard spanning 17,497 sqm and seven tracks, the Airport Metro station will dramatically reduce travel time, linking passengers to Esplanade in just 30 minutes and providing seamless connectivity to Howrah and other metro corridors.
"The Airport Metro station will have flyers reach Esplanade in 30 minutes and almost any corner of the city and the suburbs, along with Howrah, through different interfaces," Kumar said.
