East-West Metro CBTC Signalling Work Begins, Paves Way For Key Railway Link in Kolkata

Kolkata: Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling work for the Howrah Maidan to Sector V stretch of Kolkata Metro's East-West Metro began on Sunday. 

The completion of signaling work will help in connecting Howrah with Sealdah, two of Eastern Railway's busiest stations.

Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (KMRCL) had sought a complete traffic block on two Sundays (January 12 and 19) for which approval has been given. 

How East-West Metro Will Reduce Time Between Howrah and Sealdah

East-West Metro, also known as Green Line, will save around 90 minutes for daily commuters who currently have to travel between Howrah and Sealdah in overcrowded, slow-moving buses or pollution-causing taxis.

"A request for full closer of Green Line service from February 8 to March 24 has been submitted by KMRCL. The demand has not been approved so far," the official added.

A Metro Railway engineer explained, "Green Line of Metro Railway, Kolkata, is the first corridor where CBTC signalling system has been commissioned for safe and automatic train operations." "In addition to automatic train protection (ATP) to prevent collisions, speeding and red light passing, this system will allow the Metro rake to operate in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode, where all rakes will communicate their position, speed, acceleration, and deceleration," he added.

Green Line-1, which runs from Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah, and Green Line-2, which runs from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan, are the two sections of the East-West Corridor currently served by Metro Railway Kolkata.

Because of the Bowbazar cave-in five years ago, which hampered tunneling efforts but was fixed last December, there was a missing connection between Sealdah and Esplanade.

(With inputs from PTI)