The lifeline of the ‘City of Joy’ – Kolkata Metro, India’s first metro which is fully operated by Indian Railways – has completed 40 years of successful commercial service on Thursday providing fast, smooth, and hassle-free journeys to lakhs of commuters daily and continues to be the cheapest mode of transport in the country with a minimum of Rs 5 and a maximum fare of Rs 50.

In March this year, Metro Railway, Kolkata achieved a groundbreaking feat when it launched India’s first underwater service under the Hooghly River, connecting two centuries-old cities Howrah and Kolkata. It is the first time in the country a metro train is plying underwater. This transformation from under the surface to underwater, both for the first time in the country, has made Kolkata Metro special in the country.

On March 6, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 4.8 Km stretch from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade under the River Hooghly of Green Line-2. This has been completed at the cost of Rs 4,965 crore.

At present, Metro Railway, Kolkata, has four corridors.

Since its inception on October 24, 1984, Metro Railway, Kolkata, India’s first Metro system has travelled a long way and carried millions of passengers to their destinations safely. Starting with a stretch of only 3.4 km from Esplanade to Bhawanipore (now Netaji Bhavan) Metro Railway now has a network of nearly 60 km connecting different corners of the city.

According to the Ministry of Railways, by next year, the Kolkata Metro network will be spread over 90 km, and by 2027 it will further increase to 130 km.

Talking to The Statesman, Kaushik Mitra, CPRO, Eastern Railway, and CPRO, Metro Railways, Kolkata, said the omnipresence of the Metro system in Kolkata has made people’s lives fast, smooth, and hassle-free. Metro has already stitched Kolkata, Howrah, North, and South 24 Parganas together and become ‘Amar Metro’.

He said the Metro system in Kolkata has fully air-conditioned coaches and travelling by metro saves time and it is also a pocket-friendly mode of transport.

“Residents of Howrah, Hooghly, Medinipur, Burdwan, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia are availing Metro services from Howrah, Sealdah, Dumdum and Kavi Subhash stations. Even passengers from other states are also availing our services from Howrah and Sealdah. As a result, Metro Railway is now carrying around 7 lakh commuters daily. This was unthinkable on 24th October 1984 when the first Metro services began at Kolkata,” he said.

“By 2025, the Kolkata Metro network will be spread over 90 km and by 2027 it will further increase to 130 km,” Mitra added.

He said Kolkata is popularly known as the “City of Joy” as well as the Cultural Capital of the Country. Metro Railway, Kolkata is the “Life Line” in the field of the transport network of this great ‘City’.

“Kolkata Metro provides the cheapest mode of transport in the city and all over India as the minimum fare of the ticket is Rs 5 for up to 2 km journey. The maximum fare is Rs 50,” the CPRO, Metro Railways, Kolkata said.

A series of events including a heritage walk, exhibition walkathon, running of old non-AC rake, and cultural evening were held from October 18 to October 24 to celebrate the 40 years of Metro Railway, Kolkata, and make it a memorable occasion. In the exhibition, rare photographs, old tickets, smart cards, and philately items were on display. A special cover and stamp were also released during the celebrations.