Science City crucial connect in metro extn from Ruby to Beleghata
Times of India | 23 August 2025
Kolkata: There was a sense of muted jubilation as the Orange Line train left Beleghata station and moved towards New Garia following its ceremonial flagging off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Dum Dum on Friday. While the Orange Line had linked the Santoshpur, Prince Anwar Shah and Kasba connectors till now, from Monday, it will also link the Park Circus connector at Science City. The line currently covers only a part of the city's busiest transport corridor — E M Bypass. But, running at 20-minute intervals, the service falls short of the frequency needed to cater to the corridor's surging demand. Traffic on Bypass the EMB now crawls at less than 15 kmph during peak hours.
"For people travelling shorter distances, this extension might make sense. But unless it connects Sector V, and then the airport, the benefits will be limited," said film-maker Sourav De, who travels daily from his Tollygunge home to Sector V. | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in KolkataOthers see it as a promise of better days ahead. Rakhi Ghosh, who lives in New Town and works with a private hospital at Ruby crossing, said, "Today's extension gives me hope that my daily commute time would reduce to 25 minutes from the current two-plus hours.
"Unlike the other two metro services inaugurated on Friday, the Orange Line extension has not connected a major transit node. At Beleghata, the absence of a foot overbridge has further reduced its effectiveness as a dispersal point.
With urban growth rapidly sprawling eastward, Bypass remains under intense pressure. Commuters believe this metro will only serve as a true alternative once the stalled viaduct at Chingrighata is completed. "It is unfortunate that the viaduct is suspended just because of the state govt not allowing a traffic block. Infrastructure projects should strictly be above politics," a commuter said. "My travel time will reduce significantly once the full service starts," said Sujit Ghosh, a Sinthee resident.