No regular services of Kolkata Metro till August 12 even as CM Mamata wishes resumption

Kolkata Metro will not resume services from August 1 for the general public as all passenger service trains including the metro remains suspended till August 12 in adherence to a previous order. Currently, only people engaged in essential services can avail a metro ride.

Kolkata Metro Chief Public Relations Officer (PRO) Indrani Banerjee stated, “Till Railway Ministry, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare gives us a go-ahead, we cannot resume metro services for the general public.”

The decision comes after a meeting of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation and state government officials. No date has been fixed to resume operations in the city as of yet. Earlier, the Mamata Banerjee government had urged Kolkata Metro to restart operations from July 1.

"A meeting was held between Kolkata Metro authorities and state government today. Metro railway stated its problems, primarily among them being maintaining social distancing in the coaches and metro not being able to run the total number of usual services that it usually runs. That is because of limited manpower. We have requested the state government to allow only essential service providers to avil the metro services." said Indrani Banerjee on Monday.

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CM wants resumption

On the same day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Kolkata Metro has informed us it can only operate limited service for those engaged in essential services for now and those who hold smart cards. But we wanted services to resume for everyone. They said, they will not be able to do so at the moment. But at least this will cover one-fourth of the population."

With no absolute confirmation or consensus on the running of the metro, the status quo remains on the non-servicing of the first underground transportation movement in India.

(PTI Photo)

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