Kolkata: The Union Minister for Women and Child Development & Minority Affairs, Smt Smriti Irani today inaugurated the Sealdah Metro Station, the much awaited extension from Phoolbagan to Sealdah of East-West Metro Corridor along with Mr. Nakagawa Koichi, Consul-General of Japan in Kolkata. Smt Irani inaugurated the station virtually from Howrah Maidan, the terminal station of the 16.6 kms corridor on the other side of the river Hooghly. She also inaugurated the extended Metro service from Phoolbagan to Sealdah by virtually flagging off the first train from the underground Sealdah Metro station.
Inaugurating the station, Smt Irani said the 2.33-km extension up to Sealdah will help around 35,000 passengers in their daily commute. One minute of silence was observed in this programme to pay respect to Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minister of Japan.
Mr. Koichi, expressed his hope that the inauguration of Sealdah Metro Station will further enhance India-Japan relationship and East-West Metro will provide a smooth and pollution- free journey in Kolkata.
The metro station will link suburban train services at Sealdah, one of the busiest terminal railway stations in the country, providing connectivity to the passengers travelling to Salt Lake and the IT hub of Sector 5. This stretch from Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah can be covered within 21 minutes only. The commercial service on this extended route will start from July 14, 2022.
This 2.33 km extension from Phoolbagan to Sealdah has been constructed at a cost of Rs 1250 crore. It is to be mentioned in this regard that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the last stretch of 4.28 kms from Noapara to Dakshineshwar on February 22, 2021. Inspired by the vision of the Prime Minister, the latest feather in the Metro Railway’s cap is the extension of its East-West elevated corridor to connect Phoolbagan to Sealdah.
In this context, it is worth mentioning that this stretch will provide a pollution-free, convenient and comfortable journey from Salt Lake Sector-V to Sealdah. Passengers from Sealdah Main and Sealdah South section of Eastern Railway (ER) will now be able to avail Metro services with a seamless change over at Sealdah station and reach their destinations to IT Hub in Salt Lake Sector-V, International Bus Terminal, Book Fair Ground at Karunamoyee, important Government offices at Central Park quickly, which has so far been a tortuous journey. Likewise, commuters from the Salt Lake & New Town area will also be benefitted. This extension will facilitate Students, Professors and Scholars from Salt Lake & New Town area to reach College Street, the Education Hub of West Bengal which houses Presidency University, Calcutta University, Hindu School and Hare School among others. People will be able to go to Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, NRS Medical College & Hospital, two oldest Medical Colleges of India, B. R. Singh Hospital which is located very close to Sealdah Metro station.
For passenger comfort and convenience the hi-tech facilities include ultra modem lifts, Signalling System /Communications Based Train Control, escalators, automatic vending machines, fire safety systems, baggage scanners, metal detectors, first aid rooms, passenger information kiosks, spick and span public restrooms with seating arrangements and special facilities for divyangjan, toilets, etc. Passengers will get the comfort of an air conditioned platform, screen doors on platforms and escalators of the height of a three storey building which is equipped with a Blue light system for the safely of the passengers. Alf elevated stations are provided with platform Screen Gates & underground stations with Platform Screen Doors for fall protection as well as energy Conservation. With two entrances (ticket counters in both entries), AFC gates, lifts, escalators, surveillance cameras, water coolers, Vending machines, Automatic Smart Card Recharge Machines, Public Announcement Systems, signages, indoor air quality monitoring and control etc. the Sealdah underground station with its plush interiors & exteriors is commissioned today which is another feather in Kolkata Metro's cap.
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