Anticipating a mammoth footfall of around 7.5 lakh daily on the completion of the entire East-West Metro corridor, the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) is constructing a subway at Howrah station to enable smooth flow of visitors.

The subway is being targeted for completion around Durga Puja.

In the present set up, for availing a Metro, commuters have to take the way from platform 15 and walk for a few metres to the Metro station. The upcoming subway, directly leading to the Metro station, would make the process much easier for commuters.

According to official sources, the upcoming subway is being constructed beside platform 15 of the existing Howrah station with the other end at the Metro station. It has been designed strategically to allow movement of visitors from two ends in an ‘L’ shape. It is to include entry/ exit points from platforms 15 and 16 of the existing railway station and converge at the concourse level through escalators and stairs. For accommodating smooth flow of maximum footfall, the L-shaped subway has a length of 92.29 metres and 39m width.

The dimensions of the entrances also have been planned keeping the footfall in mind. While the entry point from platform 15 is to be wider with dimensions of 37 metres by 15 metres while the one from platform 16 is narrower having dimensions of 10 metres by 45 metres. As informed by sources, the structure of the two entrances is similar to that of the Mahakaran station and the look has been designed in resonance with the Metro station at Howrah, which wears a vibrant look.

The subway is being constructed in two phases. “The work on the first phase that includes the entrance from platform 15 started in July last year and is expected to be completed in three months,” said an official. “The next phase will be the entrance near platform 16, where work hasn’t started yet. The external walls and the roof casting have been done. The work towards the concourse level is being done and phase-I is anticipated to be completed in three months,” he added.

“The subway is to have continuous movement and flow of visitors but the concourse is the point from where people would disperse. As the concourse level is to handle an enormous footfall, it has been designed to have a huge area,” elaborated the official.