Sumana never thought her daily ordeal of traveling to and from her office would ever end. It usually took about 2 hours to reach her office at Salt Lake Sector 5 from her home at Hindmotor every day.
Besides, traveling in public transport during the summer and rainy seasons used to leave her completely drained of her energy.
She used to come to the office drenched in sweat. Getting wet in the rain was also a regular affair.
But with the Howrah-Sector 5 (Green Line) Metro running now, all of that has changed.
Now she reaches her office in less than an hour from her home. Moreover, most of the journey is in air-conditioned comfort.
The hot, sultry, stinking public buses and rude auto-rickshaw drivers are distant nightmares now.
A new day has come.
Kolkata Metro Expansion
Kolkata is the first city in India where Metro rail was introduced way back in 1984.
Kolkata is also the first Indian city to build an underwater Metro tunnel. The tunnel is on the Howrah-Sector 5 route (Green Line) and passes beneath the river Hooghly.
With the construction of this tunnel, Kolkata joined the cities of London, Paris, New York, Shanghai, and Cairo, where trains run beneath the Thames, Seine, Hudson, Huangpu, and Nile, respectively.
At present, work is going on to create a comprehensive Metro network in Kolkata. This will bring various locations in the Metro network.
Recently, several sections of the Metro network became operational, helping millions with faster, safer, and more comfortable travel.
The following stretches are now in operation:
- Esplanade to Sealdah section of the Green Line
- Noapara to Jai Hind Airport section of the Yellow Line
- Hemanta Mukhopadhyay to Beleghata section of the Orange Line
How They Will Benefit Commuters
Operationalization of these three stretches magically transformed the Metro network.
Let us see how they will benefit the commuters.
Green Line – Esplanade to Sealdah
Completion of this stretch will be a huge relief for the commuters.
This finally joined the two terminal points on this line: Howrah and Salt Lake Sector 5.
This has greatly benefited individuals like Sumana, as their travel time (from Howrah to Saly Lake Sector 5) has significantly reduced from a couple of hours to approximately 35 minutes.
People staying near Howrah and Hooghly can travel to Howrah station and board the Metro to go to Salt Lake Sector 5.
Today, it takes 40 to 45 minutes by road to travel between Howrah and Sealdah, two of the busiest railway terminals. With the Metro, the journey now takes only 11 minutes. For millions of daily commuters, this time-saving feels like a blessing.
It even benefits the residents of North and South Kolkata. They can now change lines at Esplanade and travel easily to Salt Lake Sector 5 or Sealdah.
Yellow Line – Noapara to Jai Hind Bimanbandar
Getting to the airport is now quicker and more comfortable.
Domestic and international passengers, airline staff, and airport workers all benefit from a fast, safe, and convenient ride. With an interchange at Dum Dum Cantonment, passengers also get direct connectivity to the rest of the city and major railway stations. The journey from Esplanade to the airport takes only 30 minutes.
Passengers from North and South Kolkata, and even Dakshineswar, can now change lines at Noapara and travel to the Airport.
It even benefits the residents of areas that are connected to Metro stations by autorickshaw/bus.
Imagine going home to Bally from the Airport in minutes compared to the road travel that earlier took hours.
Orange Line – Beleghata to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay
This extension connects Science City, hospitals, schools, and business hubs. Passenger numbers here are expected to double. The journey from Beleghata to Kavi Subhash now takes only 32 minutes, making travel between South and East Kolkata much easier.
It benefits the residents of the areas near Kavi Subhash. Even a resident of Baruipur can now travel to Science City much faster.
When completed, this line will be a great boon to South Kolkata residents who will be able to travel to Salt Lake Sector 5, New Town, and even the Airport.
Prime Real Estate Impact
The recent expansion of the Kolkata Metro is expected to drive property value appreciation, increase demand, and new development in areas near Metro stations.
Property values rise: Over the past year, the city’s residential property values have risen by 12%. However, several Metro-connected micro-markets, like East Kolkata, Rajarhat, and Behala/Joka, have exceeded this trend.
Also, peripheral areas like Southern Bypass, EM Bypass, and Madhyamgram are now emerging as investment hotspots with substantial price appreciation due to newly reduced travel times and infrastructure upgrades.
Rental Yields and Leasing: Improved metro connectivity makes locations more attractive to tenants, boosting rental income potential for investors and landlords.
Commercial value growth: Residential property values have increased by 8% in areas like Howrah, while commercial rates close to new stations have increased by as much as 30%.
High-demand corridors: New Garia, Salt Lake Sector V, New Town, Rajarhat, Joka, Behala, Howrah, Sealdah, Beliaghata, and the areas close to Kolkata Airport are going to expand quickly.
Summing Up
In summary, Kolkata Metro’s recent expansion is specifically raising property prices, stimulating rentals, sparking new project launches, and unlocking new growth corridors.
The trend is expected to continue, and homebuyers should invest in properties now in these areas.
