Orange Line trials to Sector V targeted from October 10

Trial runs on Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line between Beleghata and Sector V are targeted to begin on October 10, coinciding with Mahalaya, marking a major step towards extending metro connectivity to the city’s key IT and business district.

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is preparing the corridor for testing, with activities expected to include software alignment, synchronisation and other technical and safety checks.

A key infrastructure milestone has also been completed with the 366-metre gap between Chingrighata and Sukantanagar now bridged. Earlier, on September 17, a push-trolley inspection of the Beleghata–IT Centre section was completed as part of the preparations for commissioning the stretch.

If the trial runs and mandatory clearances are completed successfully, commercial metro services up to Sector V are targeted to begin around Christmas 2026.

The Beleghata–Sector V extension will add three stations to the Orange Line: Gour Kishore Ghosh, Nalban and Sector V. This will take the corridor’s operational length from over 9 km to more than 14 km.

The Orange Line is also being developed in phases beyond Sector V. The Sector V–City Centre II section is targeted for completion by June 2027, while the extension towards Kolkata Airport is planned by the end of 2027.

Once these planned extensions are completed, the Orange Line is expected to stretch beyond 32 km, creating a longer metro connection between the southern and eastern parts of Kolkata and the airport-side corridor.

The proposed extension to Sector V is particularly significant for commuters travelling to Kolkata’s major IT and commercial hub. The commissioning timeline, however, remains dependent on successful trials, inspections and the required statutory clearances.

If the October 10 trial target is achieved, it will mark another important stage in the expansion of Kolkata’s metro network and the development of the Orange Line.