KOLKATA: In a significant step toward operationalizing the East-West Metro corridor, the state fire department recently carried out an inspection at the Howrah Maidan station, the terminal station situated across the Hooghly river. This inspection follows the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation’s (KMRC) application for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department, imperative for the commission of railway safety (CRS) approval to operationalize the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section.
The inspection, spanning an entire day and night, focused on various critical safety parameters. Fire department officials meticulously assessed the new Metro station’s fire exits, fire detection systems, availability of smoke alarm systems, strategic placement of fire extinguishers, emergency ventilation systems, and synchronization of the public address system.
A comprehensive report detailing the status of these safety measures will be submitted before the department issues the NOC. Furthermore, inspections for Howrah, Mahakaran, and Esplanade stations will follow suit in due course.
KMRC, spearheading the implementation of the 16km East-West Metro corridor, aims to initiate operations for the 4.8km section crossing the Hooghly by the year’s end. Preceding the stretch’s opening, CRS inspection remains mandatory. Currently, the operational East-West Metro runs from Sector V to Sealdah. Considering challenges in the Sealdah-Esplanade section, efforts are directed towards operationalizing the under-river section from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan as a priority.
The envisioned deadline for the entire Sector V-Howrah Maidan corridor remains June 2024, reaffirmed by Metro Railway in a recent statement. The statement addressed past construction challenges, particularly at Bowbazar, affecting project progress. However, the resolution of these issues has paved the way for a trial run between Esplanade and Sealdah, likely to commence at the beginning of the upcoming year.
