More E-W Metro services after rake run to Salt Lake
Times of India | 18 December 2024
Kolkata: Commuters can expect more services in East-West Metro's Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section from next month as the west-bound tunnel is now linked between Sealdah and Esplanade. The four BEML rakes used in the section since Nov 11 will be transported for maintenance to the Salt Lake depot through the west-bound tunnel.
Since the 4.8 km Esplanade-Howrah Maidan stretch was launched in March, rakes were passed through the somewhat complete east-bound tunnel. However, a few rings of this tunnel are currently undergoing retrofitting with steel liners and it's not fit for rake transportation. Last week, services were curtailed further to ease pressure on the high-maintenance BEML rakes, which has not gone through the routine maintenance for more than a month.
On Tuesday, senior KMRC officials inspected the just-completed west-bound tunnel between Sealdah and Esplanade. More inspections will follow to ensure the tunnel is safe for rake transportation. The authorities are eyeing Jan 4 or 11 as probable dates for taking the four rakes from Esplanade to Sealdah through the incomplete section. The BEML rakes need weekly upkeep but no such facility is available on the Howrah end. Hence, rakes have been transported through the unfinished Esplanade-Sealdah section's east-bound tunnel all this time.
Last week, Metro Railway further curtailed services on the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section to facilitate work in the incomplete Esplanade-Sealdah section, reducing services on the east-bound tunnel from 150 to 114. Non-peak hour frequencies were increased from 20 minutes to 24 minutes. On the west-bound tunnel, trains are running only for two hours in the morning (9 am to 11 am) and three in the evening (5 pm to 8 pm). No trains are run for the rest of the day.
As fresh rakes, which have undergone thorough upkeep at the Central Park depot, are brought to the Howrah section in the next fortnight or so, Metro Railway may revise the current schedule and add more services between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade.
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