The Curious Case Kolkata Metro
This is a report on the Kolkata Metro. The East-West Metro has finally launched its much-anticipated under-the-Hooghly route, but ridership trends reveal a surprising twist!
It’s not every day that one gets to ride a metro under a river. When Kolkata’s East-West Metro finally launched its under-the-Hooghly adventure, it was met with much hullabaloo, handclaps, and a healthy dose of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from eager passengers. You’d think they were boarding a spaceship to Mars rather than a metro to Howrah Maidan. But if the latest figures are anything to go by, it appears the initial buzz has given way to a rather unexpected passenger trend.
Against all expectations, the Sealdah-Sector V route has managed to pull ahead in the ridership race, leaving the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan corridor trailing in its wake. In the past financial year, a staggering 1.41 crore passengers opted for the former, while the latter clocked in at a close—but still second-place—1.39 crore. That’s a difference of nearly two lakh extra commuters preferring the eastern stretch. Who would have thought the tech park-bound workforce and Salt Lake shoppers would outnumber the intrepid tunnel travellers?
Metro officials are scratching their heads over this unexpected turn of events. Some reckon it’s down to infrastructure work at Esplanade, which has led to a reduced train frequency on the Howrah route. Others argue that Sector V’s rapid development and the increasing need for seamless connectivity have played a significant role. Either way, Sealdah-Sector V’s meteoric rise is nothing short of commendable—deserving, as one official put it, of a hearty ‘kurnish’ (that’s ‘salute’ for those not fluent in Bengali lingo).
Looking at the bigger picture, Kolkata Metro as a whole has seen an impressive jump in passenger numbers. The past year alone witnessed an increase of 2.56 crore commuters, with the overall count soaring from 19.25 crore in 2023-24 to a whopping 21.81 crore in 2024-25. That’s a growth of 13.3%—a figure that would have most transport analysts grinning from ear to ear.
The good old North-South Metro remains the undisputed champion, ferrying a hefty 18.93 crore passengers. But the East-West line has certainly punched above its weight, especially with Howrah Maidan-Esplanade now fully operational. The numbers speak for themselves—North-South ridership shot up by nearly a crore in just a year. Meanwhile, the Joka-Majerhat extension and the newly opened New Garia-Ruby route have also chipped in, albeit at a more modest pace.
However, not everything is sunshine and roses. The Joka-Majerhat Metro still runs a rather paltry number of trains, much to the frustration of its potential patrons. Ridership may have increased by 31.34%, but with only 1.76 lakh passengers using it, the numbers are hardly setting the tracks on fire. Commuters believe that an increase in train frequency could work wonders for these newer corridors. And let’s not forget the New Garia-Ruby line, which saw just under six lakh passengers in its debut year.
So, what does all this mean? Well, if these figures are anything to go by, Kolkata’s metro system is certainly chugging along at full steam (or rather, full electricity). The East-West corridor may have a bit of catching up to do, but given time, it might just live up to the hype. Until then, commuters can enjoy the novelty of their underwater escapades, while the Sealdah-Sector V crowd continues to win the popularity contest.
As they say, the wheels on the metro go round and round—but where they take the city next is anyone’s guess.
What's Your Reaction?
