Kolkata Metro closing Green Line Sundays for system testing

Kolkata Metro has announced that it will close services on the Green Line every Sunday. This closure is indefinite and will impact the East-West corridor, which runs from Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector Five. The purpose of the shutdown is to test a communication-based train control system. The Green Line is an important route for Kolkata Metro. The testing will help improve connectivity, especially as work progresses on a project linking Howrah to Sealdah. The closure will allow for work on the Sealdah-Esplanade section, which is close to completion. Service will remain suspended until this section receives safety approval. Currently, the East-West Metro operates in two parts: a stretch from Sealdah to Sector V and another from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan. The new work aims to connect these segments, creating a continuous route. The project will also focus on integrating an advanced signaling system to ensure safe and frequent train operations. The East-West Metro uses an automatic signaling system known as communication-based train control (CBTC), which includes anti-collision software. This system allows trains to run at intervals of just 90 seconds. Testing has been ongoing since January, particularly for the Esplanade-Sealdah section. Officials have indicated that many tasks, such as signal and telecommunication tests, will take place on upcoming Sundays. The current operational sections already use CBTC, but the software will need an upgrade when the final 2.6 km stretch is completed. After approval from the Commission of Railway Safety, all sections will integrate with the upgraded CBTC system, which will require an additional shutdown.