Kolkata: Passenger services on new sections of Kolkata Metro kicked off on March 15, as confirmed by P Uday Kumar Reddy, the general manager of Kolkata Metro Railway, according to media reports on Sunday. The anticipation surrounding the launch of these services has been high, especially for the East-West section, which now holds the country's first underwater Metro service. Alongside this, two other sections are also ready to welcome passengers, reports added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated these new Metro corridors, namely the Green line, Orange Line, and Purple Line, on March 6. According to Reddy, commercial services on these lines will commence on March 15, with passenger services available on the Green line from 7 am to 9.45 pm. Depending on passenger flow, the timing might be adjusted later on. The inauguration of these metro sections by PM Modi on March 6 was a moment for Kolkata and Howrah. These new stretches, with a combined cost of Rs 6,098.20 crore, have been erected with the intent to tackle traffic congestion, improve connectivity, and reduce environmental impact. One highlight is the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section, which includes India's first transportation tunnel under the Hooghly River. This section, with a project cost of Rs 4,138 crore, also features the deepest metro station in India at Howrah.

Another notable stretch is the Kavi Subhas-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay corridor, constructed for Rs 1,435 crore. This corridor goes through Kolkata and surrounding areas, which, as per officials, the central government initially planned to ease up road traffic around the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass Road. The Taratala-Majerhat stretch, part of the Joka-Esplanade line, is also vital. With a budget of Rs 525.20 crore for Phase II, this stretch brought in an elevated metro station unique in design for connectivity to various parts of South Kolkata. These projects are an important part of Kolkata's urban transport system to sustain nature and increase connectivity. According to reports, with this infrastructure, the city of Joy's carbon footprint will be reduced and will also improve the daily lives of its residents.