New Delhi, Oct. 10 -- Metro Railway on Saturday conducted the first trial run on the 4.46-km Beliaghata-IT Centre stretch of the Orange Line, targeting the commencement of passenger services by December 2026. The trial also marked the beginning of testing for the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system, with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) authorities providing technical expertise.
"This is a major milestone for the project, which is a long-cherished dream of the people of Kolkata," a Metro official said.
The stretch comprises three stations - Gour Kishore Ghosh, Nalban and IT Centre. Once commissioned, it will connect southern Kolkata with Salt Lake Sector V, where passengers can interchange with the Green Line to reach Sealdah, Esplanade and Howrah.
The section faced delays due to a 366-metre gap in the viaduct between Beliaghata and Gour Kishore Ghosh stations at Chingrighata. Work on the missing stretch began in mid-May after the necessary permissions were obtained for traffic blocks at the busy intersection.
A push trolley inspection was conducted on September 17 following the completion of viaduct and ballastless track work, paving the way for electrical work and trial runs.
The 32-km Kavi Subhash-Jai Hind Bimanbandar corridor, known as the Orange Line, was sanctioned in 2010 and is being implemented in five phases. The first phase, between Kavi Subhash and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, was commissioned in March 2024, while services on the Hemanta Mukhopadhyay-Beliaghata section began in August 2025.
The Beliaghata-IT Centre stretch is the corridor's third phase. Phase IV, between Sector V and City Centre II, is targeted for commissioning by December 2027, while the final phase is expected to be completed by mid-2028, sources said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.