Kolkata: Trial runs on Beleghata-Sector V (IT Centre) stretch of New-Garia Airport Metro corridor, also known as Orange Line, will start from Oct 10, an RVNL official told TOI.Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the implementing agency for Orange Line, is targeting a commercial run till Sector V from Christmas, the official added.A 366-metre gap on the elevated corridor, between Chingrighata crossing and Sukantanagar, had been bridged recently with RVNL launching girders, erecting the viaducts and laying the tracks. On Sept 17, a ‘push trolley’ inspection on Beleghata (Metropolitan)-IT Centre section was completed. The construction arm of Railways sought a traffic block at Chingrighata crossing on successive weekends in May and in Sukantanagar in June to bridge the gap.“The trial run of trains is likely to start from Oct 10, which is the day of Mahalaya. It will continue for the next one month or more as a lot of software alignment, syncing and other necessary checks will be executed,” the official said. Mahalaya, when the trial run has been planned, is also the day when PM Narendra Modi is likely to be in Kolkata for a mega Durga Puja event at Eden Gardens.“If the trial runs are successful and subsequent clearances come, we may start full passenger operations on the stretch from Christmas. We are targeting Christmas as a lot of people visit Nicco Park on the day and in the week between Christmas and New Year,” said the official.Orange Line is now operational on an over 9km stretch between Kavi Subhas and Beleghata stations. Once trains start running till Sector V, Orange Line will be operational on a stretch spanning over 14km. “Three new stations will be added to the network – Gour Kishore Ghosh, Nalban and Sector V,” the official said. The full length of Orange Line – between Kavi Subhas and Airport – will be over 32km.The extension till Sector V will be the third phase of Orange Line. In two more phases, the entire corridor will be complete. “As per the current plan, we aim to throw open phase IV, between Sector V and City Centre II by June 2027, and the last phase till Airport by the end of 2027,” the official added.Once open till Sector V, the passenger count on Orange Line is expected to witness a sharp rise. Many Sector V and New Town-bound employees could shun their private transport and hop on to Metro. “It takes me about 45 minutes in the morning and double the time in the evening to commute between my office in Sector V and home. Driving on congested roads is also stressful. Taking the Metro could be a far better experience,” said an Anwar Shah Road resident in his 40s.
