Kolkata Metro Pink Line Moves Ahead After 16+ Years as KMC Clears Key Pipeline Work

The Kolkata Metro’s proposed Baranagar–Barrackpore Pink Line has taken a significant step forward after more than 16 years of delays.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the closure and isolation of an existing 48-inch water transmission main along BT Road. The clearance will facilitate the construction of a new 72-inch pipeline connecting the Indira Gandhi Water Treatment Plant (Palta) to Talla Pumping Station, alongside the proposed metro corridor.

The 12.3-km Baranagar–Barrackpore Metro Corridor will be entirely elevated and has faced major engineering challenges due to several large water pipelines running beneath BT Road.

Six Palta water-project pipelines, measuring 64, 72, 60, 42, 48 and 62 inches in diameter, run beneath the road. Managing and relocating these utilities has been one of the key challenges in taking the metro project forward.

The latest KMC clearance comes weeks after Metro Railway floated a ₹1,587.3 crore tender for the construction of the viaduct and 10 elevated stations between Baranagar Metro station and the Mangal Pandey terminal at Barrackpore.

The proposed Pink Line will serve major areas including Baranagar, Kamarhati, Agarpara, Panihati, Sodepur, Khardaha, Tata Gate, Titagarh, Talpukur and Barrackpore.

Once operational, the corridor is expected to improve connectivity across North Kolkata and the northern suburbs, reduce travel time and help ease congestion on BT Road.

With utility-related hurdles now being addressed and major construction tenders already floated, the Baranagar–Barrackpore Metro project is showing renewed momentum after being stalled for more than 16 years.