After over a decade of digging and traffic disruption, the Calcutta Metro started operations on a small 3.4 km stretch in 1984. From the beginning, the Metro has been Calcutta's pride and joy.

 History:

The Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways) was set up in 1969 to alleviate the transportation problems in Calcutta. In 1971, the MTP prepared a Master Plan envisaging the construction of five rapid transit lines for the city of Calcutta, totalling to a route length of 97.5km. Of these, the highest priority was given to the busy North-South axis between Dum Dum and Tollygunge over a length of 16.45 kms. Work on this project was sanctioned in 1972. The foundation stone of the project was laid by Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, on December 29,1972 and the construction work started in 1973-74.

 Drawing board to reality:

In spite of several problems such as insufficient, shifting of underground utilities, court injunctions, and irregular supply of vital materials, the Calcutta Metro, India's first and Asia's fifth, became a reality on OCTOBER 24,1984 with the commissioning of partial commercial service covering 3.4 kms, with five stations between Esplanade and Bhowanipur. This was followed by the 2.15 km stretch in the north between Dum Dum and Belgachia. Service was extended upto Tollygunge in the south by. Services on the entire stretch of Metro were introduced in 1995. Today, the Metro extends from Dum-Dum (near the airport) to Tollygunj in the south.

 Salient Features:

Total Route Length 16.45 Kms
Stations 17 (15 under ground, 1 Surface, 1 elevated)
Coaches per train 8
Average Speed 30 km ph
Travel Time (Dum Dum to Tollygunge) 33 min.
Coach capacity 278 standing, 48 sitting
Train capacity 2558 passengers
Interval between trains 10 minutes in peak hours & 15 minutes at other times
Total estimated cost of the project 1706 Rs crores (approx.)
Environment control Forced ventilation with washed and cooled air.
Fares: Between Rs 3 to Rs 7

Click here for a Photo Feature on the Metro Railway of Kolkata