Orange Line (Kolkata Metro)

History

This project was sanctioned in the budget of 2010–11 by Mamata Banerjee with a project deadline of six years. The execution of this project has been entrusted to the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of ₹3,951.98 crore (US$846.75 million). It will help to reduce travel time between the southern fringes of Kolkata to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and will have 23 elevated stations, one underground station and one at-grade. The terminal airport station is the underground one.

Work for construction of the terminal station at New Garia for the 29.87 km (18.56 mi) Kavi Subhash-Biman Bandar (via Rajarhat) metro project finally resumed on 14 February 2017 RVNL demarcating the plot they require for the purpose.

The work has been delayed for years due to multiple issues. At first, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) objected the station above the ground, stating that this could be a threat for air traffic. Many underground utilities, power sub-station and water treatment plant had to be shifted. Encroachments and land acquisition problems held up the project for multiple times.

The 5 km (3.1 mi) stretch from New Garia to Ruby Hospital was expected to start from 2018. As of 2023, the station and associated metro viaduct connections were fully completed with trial runs being conducted over this and other phase 1 stations. RVNL planned to launch the metro over this truncated route before that year's Durga Puja, but this was postponed due to signalling issues.

The Kavi Subhash–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section of Orange Line was inaugurated on 6 March 2024 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the truncated sections of Taratala–Majerhat under Purple Line and Esplanade–Howrah Maidan under Green Line. A week later after inauguration and a day after commercial run started on Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section, RVNL announced the completion of a 76 m (249 ft) viaduct gap after construction of a single-span open-web girder steel bridge over Tagore Park culvert. This completed the viaduct up to Beliaghata metro station. RVNL has faced enormous challenges while working, in one such incident it incurred enormous loss of over 5 crore rupees due to lack of clearance of traffic from Kolkata Police and work being stalled for over 60 days. The Hemanta Mukhopadhyay–Beleghata Orange Line extension was opened on 22 August 2025, along with the truncated sections of Noapara–Jai Hind under Yellow Line and Esplanade–Sealdah under Green Line.

The service starts from 8 am and ends at 8:05 pm, with 60 pairs of services from Monday to Friday. All the trains run at a frequency of 25 minutes.There are no services on Saturdays and Sundays.