Trial Runs Begin on Kolkata Metro’s Yellow Line to Dum Dum Cantt

Right before three new sections of Kolkata Metro were inaugurated this past week, Kolkata Metro’s operator quietly started trial runs on 6.87 km Kolkata Metro Line-4 (Yellow Line)’s 3 km Noapara – Dum Dum Cantonment section.

This milestone was recorded roughly 13 years after a Rs. 127 crore construction contract was awarded to Senbo Engineering in June 2011 for its viaduct between Kestopur Khal (Canal) to the existing ramp of the erstwhile Circular Railway’s viaduct. The line had faced significant land acquisitions difficulties along the canal’s alignment.

As always, the sole objective of this low-speed run by one of Kolkata’s Medha trains was to check for Schedule of Dimensions (SOD) clearances and observe the train’s interaction with the civil structure to ensure there are no physical obstructions along the way.

Testing train shot at Noapara Station – Screenshot from MCB Aditya’s video embedded below
Route of Kolkata Metro’s Yellow Line: Noapara to Biman Bandar – view Kolkata Metro Route Map and Information

Here are a few videos from Monday’s first run:

Here are some snaps of Dum Dum Cantt. Station via Somnath Sen showing the completion of roof, interior and exterior architectural finishing works:

Construction work in ongoing between Dum Dum Cantt. and Jessore Road stations. Here’s a recent video uploaded on YouTube, which shows the progress made so far just east of Dum Dum Cantonment Station along Harimohan Dutta Road:

Kolkata Metro hasn’t so far announced the start of this trial run or their game plan for this line, so it remains to be seen if they’ll start services between Noapara – Dum Dum or wait for the entire line’s construction to be completed.

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– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

5 Responses to "Trial Runs Begin on Kolkata Metro’s Yellow Line to Dum Dum Cantt"

  1. Kartik says:

    Yeah when some cities can get underground metro operational in less than 3 years it makes complete sense for Kolkata metro to start trial runs on part of a line in 13 years.

    If one were to find the variance of metro construction times in india, one may get a heart attack or two.
    On one hand ncrtc, kanpur, Agra go super fast, even indore metro package 3 is getting built very fast and on the other we have Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, bengaluru that just can’t keep up.

    There are systems that have trains but no track to run them on (mumbai line 2B) and we have tracks that have no train to run on them (bengaluru)

    The difference in ways and pace at which projects are executed across various states is fascinating and disturbing at the same time.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Nicely put. The key ingredient I see is government involvement and administrative motivation to push through challenges and remove obstacles. UP is currently winning at that.

      Not making organizational changes is another plus. Keeps workers motivated, reduces distraction and provides stability for decision making. Karnataka needs to stop changing BMRCL’s MD so frequently.

      Then you have places like Mumbai and Kolkata which have taken on far too many lines’ construction at the same time without financing in place for a respectable 3-5 year completion period. The procurement schedules are far too relaxed and tendering takes ages.

      Reply
  2. Chirag pradhan says:

    Sanmarg reported start of Biman bandar-haldiram metro is it true?

    Reply

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