Underground shift on Hwh-Sealdah link set to alter surface commute
Times of India | 23 August 2025
Kolkata: With the East-West Metro bridging the gap between Esplanade and Sealdah, connecting two of the most crowded railway stations in the country, a tectonic shift in surface transport is now expected, not just for passengers but all the transport sector stakeholers. Bus and auto passengers that TOI spoke to were relieved at getting a faster option. "The metro is safer, cleaner, and more reliable. On the road, you may get stuck in jams," said college student Arpita Roy who travels from Howrah to Sealdah daily.
However, the metro in this section will pose challenges to the business model of hundreds of bus and auto operators. At present, around 450 buses ply on the MG Road stretch, including 71, 72, 28, and 44. There are 25 other bus routes that pass through Sealdah and terminate at Howrah. | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in KolkataFor years, these buses, alongside autos linking Sealdah and Burrabazar, have been the lifeline for thousands of daily commuters travelling between the two stations. According to operators, this is one of the most lucrative bus routes where vehicles start plying at 5.30 am and continue after 10.30 pm.
Now, with trains running directly between Howrah, Esplanade, and Sealdah, passengers will be able to bypass congested roads altogether, travelling the distance in less than 10 minutes, compared to 30-45 minutes by bus during peak hours.
Titu Saha of City Suburban Bus Service said they will study their passenger count for the next week before deciding on the next step. "The private bus on route C (Howrah-Sealdah) survived the opening of the Esplanade-Howrah section of East-West Metro. Though sales dipped, we believe every form of transport is here to survive. Metro might be providing passengers with faster connectivity, but we provide the last-mile link. While one option is to extend some routes via Maniktala towards Ultadanga, we are not immediately interested in that. Rather, we will concentrate on timely service," Saha said.
Bus operators said they learnt by operating on the Garia-Esplanade alignment, where the metro also runs, that they need to cater to those passengers who cannot access a Metro station without availing of public transport. "It is this sector that will help us remain in service," said Santosh Das, a bus operator.
Others, though, are not that hopeful. "This will be the last nail in the coffin," said Surajit Saha, vice-president of Bengal Bus Syndicate. "The metro is a blessing for passengers — but it might be a curse for us," said Sanjay Biswas, a bus driver on the Sealdah-Howrah route. Auto drivers plying between Sealdah and Burrabazar shared similar fears. "We manage only short trips, but those will reduce if commuters skip Sealdah and go straight to Howrah or Esplanade by metro," said auto driver Baban Saha. Auto unions said they might be forced to take the yellow taxi way — ferrying goods as much as passengers. "We might truncate services or opt for routes catering to Ganesh Talkies if this route becomes unviable," said a union leader.