‘Faster and chepaer alternative for airport and office commute’
Times of India | 23 August 2025
Kolkata: For daily commuters and flyers, Friday's inauguration of the 6.7 km metro link between Noapara and Kolkata airport brought a sense of relief and anticipation. Many who witnessed or boarded the inaugural train said the new service would change the way they travel across the city.
Aparna Bhaduri, a homemaker from Dum Dum, was among those allowed to ride the first train after the ceremony. "This will change the way we travel. From Dum Dum Cantonment, I can now reach Noapara and take trains going directly to Esplanade and beyond," she said. She took a ride from Jessore Road to Dum Dum Cantonment as the decked-up train was headed back to Noapara car shed after inauguration.
Frequent flyer Saikat Chakraborty, who lives in Dakshineswar and often travels abroad for work, hailed the service for cutting his dependence on taxis. "With just a backpack, I can now use two quick Metro rides to reach home from the airport. No more haggling with cab drivers," said Chakraborty, who works with an MNC. For Satyam Sengupta, who lives near Dum Dum Cantonment, the link will make daily office trips less tedious. "I can board here, connect to Sealdah and then switch to Sector V. It will make my commute much smoother," he said. | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in KolkataPrime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the stretch at Jessore Road station around 4.40 pm before boarding the first train. In the inaugural ride from Jessore Road to the airport and back, he was joined by schoolchildren, engineers and Metro officials. The train is supposed to cover the entire 6.7 km distance in under 12 minutes as it begins commercial operation from Monday.
Friday's inaugural event drew hundreds of spectators, including railway employees, students, and locals, many of whom chanted in support of Modi long after he left for a rally in Dum Dum.
Metro has announced that once regular services begin on Monday, every third train on the North-South corridor will run beyond Noapara to the airport's Jai Hind station, eventually allowing passengers to travel 35 km up to Kavi Subhash without changing trains.
Now, a large share of airport passengers travel to Esplanade, Howrah, Dakshineswar, and Kalighat, mostly relying on taxis. With the new section, passengers hope for a faster and cheaper alternative that could also reduce complaints of overcharging by cab operators. Trains will run at 15-minute intervals between 8 am and 8 pm, with fares ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 10. Services will remain suspended on weekends for now.