Kolkata Metro to operate night-long services on Dakshineswar-New Garia route during Durga Puja

Kolkata Metro on Tuesday said it will operate night-long services on Saptami (October 10) and Ashtami-Nabami (October 11) on the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-New Garia corridor) to accommodate festive crowds. On the Green Line, services will run until midnight on Line-1 (Sector Five to Sealdah) and until 1:45 AM on Line-2 (Esplanade-Howrah Maidan) during the Puja days.

Over 100 additional staff members will be deployed at various stations to manage the pandal hoppers, a Metro spokesperson said.

Troubleshooting teams will be positioned at strategic stations to handle any technical issues with trains, escalators, and lifts.

"May I help you" booths will be set up at key locations for passenger assistance, along with special first-aid posts at Dumdum, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kalighat, and Howrah Metro stations, he said.

Officers will monitor the situation in real-time from the central control at Metro Rail Bhavan throughout the Puja festivities, ensuring passenger safety and smooth operations. Special security measures began on Panchami (October 8) and will continue until Ekadashi (October 13) to prevent any incidents in Metro premises, he added.

Additional personnel from the RPF and other teams will be stationed at major stops, including Dakshineswar, Dumdum, and Kalighat. Quick Response Teams (QRT) and Disaster Management Teams will be deployed across various stations and on moving trains, equipped to handle emergencies, he said.