Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, September 13, 2024, Kolkata

– Durga Puja, the most anticipated festival for Bengalis, is fast approaching, and the festive shopping frenzy is increasing daily. Every evening, metro stations witness huge crowds — from shoppers to office commuters and students returning home. To manage this increased footfall and ease congestion, Kolkata Metro has announced additional metro services on Saturdays and Sundays leading up to Puja.

According to a statement issued by Kolkata Metro, from September 14, there will be an increase in the number of metro services on weekends. On Saturdays, 262 metro trains will operate instead of the usual 234 on September 14 and 21. On the following Saturdays, September 28 and October 5, the number of metro trains will increase to 288. On Sundays, September 15, 22, 29, and October 6, 196 metro trains will run instead of the regular 130.

On Saturdays, the first metro from Dum Dum will depart at 6:50 AM, while the first train from Dakshineshwar will start at 7:00 AM. The last metro from Dakshineshwar will depart at 9:28 PM, and the last service from Kabi Subhash will be available at 9:40 PM. On Sundays, the first metro from Kabi Subhash and Dum Dum will be available at 9:00 AM. The last metro from Kabi Subhash to Dakshineshwar will depart at 9:30 PM, and from Dakshineshwar to Kabi Subhash at 9:28 PM. Additionally, the last metro from Dum Dum to Kabi Subhash will be available at 9:40 PM.

However, the metro schedules for Green Line-1, Green Line-2, and the Purple and Orange Lines will remain unchanged on Saturdays and Sundays.

Kolkata Metro is working at full speed to provide enhanced passenger services during Durga Puja, ensuring a smoother travel experience for the public amid the festive rush.