KOLKATA: The Metro service between Joka and Taratala is likely to operate at an hour's interval, Metro rail sources said ahead of the launch on Friday.
Though it shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes to cover the 6.5km distance from Joka to Taratala, including stops at the stations, the frequency of trains may be hourly. There may be a break in services from noon and the evening trains may start at 3pm from Joka and at 3.30pm from Taratala.
When commercial services start for the new Metro, the first train from Joka may start at 10am and Taratala at 10.30am. The last train from Joka and Taratala could be at 5pm and 5.30pm, respectively.
The time-table hasn't been finalized yet. Throughout Wednesday, officials of Metro Railway, which is in charge of the city's rapid transit network, went into a huddle. Some of them were engaged in fixing the schedule for Kolkata's third line - the truncated 6.5km Joka-Taratala stretch of the 14km Joka-Esplanade corridor. "The first train from Joka may leave at 10am and the last at 5pm. The first and last trains from Tartala may start at 5pm and 5.30pm, respectively," said an official.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be flagging off the new Metro (also known as Purple Line) on Friday. Commercial services are likely to be launched on Monday (January 2). Line 3 has six stations: Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar, Taratala.
The Joka-Taratala Metro will run on the one-train-only system and so will the 5.4km New Garia-Ruby of the New Garia-Airport corridor, also ready for commissioning, because of delay in inviting tenders for the advanced communication-based train control (CBTC) signalling.
In the absence of signals, only one train can chug in and out of the tracks. Another will be on standby. Since new rakes will only start arriving from Chennai's ICF next year, two AC Medha rakes have been ferried from the North-South Line's (Blue Line) Noapara carshed for the Joka-Taratala line. One of them, MR-418, will be used for passenger services while the other will be on standby.
On November 16, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) granted the mandatory approval for opening the new broad gauge Metro line.
The minimum fare is Rs 5 and the maximum Rs 20. A commuter will have to pay Rs 5 for travelling up to 2km.
For the next 3km to 5km, the fare will be Rs 10. For the 5km-10km slab, they will pay Rs 20.
For the existing North-South and East-West lines, the same fare structure is followed. The Joka-Taratala stretch will cover 14km when the entire corridor till Esplanade is complete.