By IANS,
Kolkata : With Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal announcing that the metro line from Dum Dum to Noapara would be completed by March this year, the Kolkata Metro Railway Tuesday said it would urge the safety inspection soon after completion so as to start services as soon as possible.
Following the Commissioner for Railway Security’s nod, the Kolkata Metro Railway can start service on its new route towards the northern suburbs.
Kolkata Metro Railways authorities said they were confident of completing the construction work for the Dum Dum to Noapara project by March.
It would request the CRS, soon after the completion of the project, to inspect the new route.
“After the inspection, we can start services on the new route,” Metro Rail Kolkata general manager Radhey Shyam told IANS.
Bansal, who presented his maiden annual budget for his ministry, said construction of metro system in Kolkata from Dum Dum to Noapara is scheduled to be completed by March 2013.
“The construction of East-West Corridor in Kolkata which is underway will be taken forward,” the minister said in parliament.
The budget, however, failed to satisfy the Kolkata Metro Railway authorities, which has earlier sought a hike in passenger fares to reach a “no-profit-no-loss” situation.
The authorities had said a revision in the fare structure, which had been changed in the past 10-12 years, was required.
“Fares have not been increased in this budget. We were hoping that there would be a fare hike. But this is a decision of the ministry. We are a part of that,” Shyam said.
The railway minister also announced that in the metropolitan transport project in Kolkata 18 additional services in are being introduced.
Rake length is being increased from nine cars to 12 cars for 80 services in Kolkata.