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History:
Metalled roads account for only 4.2% of the surface area in Calcutta as compared to 25% in Delhi and even 30% in other cities. Dr. B.C. Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, was the first to conceive the idea in 1949 of building an Underground Railway for Calcutta to solve this traffic problem. And a survey conducted came to no proactive end.

In 1969, the Metropolitan Transport Project (MTP, Railway) undertook a feasibility study for the Calcutta Metro among other things. They came to the conclusion that there was no other alternative but to construct a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS). The MTP, Railways' Master Plan was ready in 1971, which proposed the construction of five rapid transit lines totalling to a route length of 97.5km. Of these, the highest priority was given to the busy North-South axis between Dum Dum and Tollygunge, over a length of 16.45km and the work on this project was sanctioned on June 01, 1972. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, on December 29,1972. Construction started in the Dum Dum-Belgachhia sector in May 1973.

In 1978 it was renamed as 'Metro Railway'. In the south, work in the Maidan area began only in November 1975. The actual making of the Tollygunge-Esplanade section took just over seven years. The 'cut and cover' method of construction meant digging of trenches to build tunnels then putting the earth on top and finally restoring the road. It also involved the diversion of underground utilities such as sewers, water pipes, power and telephone cables and gas mains.

The first run from Esplanade to Bhowanipur was in October 1984. In April 1986, the run was extended to Tollygunge.

Today, the Metro boasts of the Continuous Automatic Train Control (CATC) system and Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system. The CATC ensures no collisions even at high speeds with trains leaving at close intervals. The AFC will allow operation of platform gates only on presentation of the correct ticket. The ventilation system in the Metro is also well thought out. Concealed fans and ducts drive fresh cooled air into the stations and drive out the exhaust from other ducts.

Care has also been taken to prevent the Metro from drowning should the streets above be under water. An independent fire-fighting system has also been set up, and it provides for quenching of fires with both water and chemicals.

Putting all these systems in place cost the country Rs.1706 crores (approx.).

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Future Plans
The Metro Authorities have plans to extend the existing facilities to other areas of Calcutta. Some plans in the pipeline include:
Extension from Tollygunj to Garia
Metro Link to Dum Dum Airport
Extension from Dum Dum to Barrackpore

The extension to Garia has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.696 crore in the year 1999-2000. This sector is proposed as an elevated structure and the alignment is planned so as to run along the Tolly Nullah. The total length of this section is 8.45km. It will have seven stations, namely, Chanditala, Kudghat, Bansdroni, Naktala, Garia Bazar, Pranabnagar and New Garia (between Baghajatin and Garia on the Sealdah South Section, Eastern Railway).

This extension will connect Eastern Railway at Garia bringing the South 24 Parganas closer to the city's Central Business District (CBD). Further it will reduce the enormous pressure on Sealdah South Suburban Section.

The feasibility and approvals for the remaining two projects is currently being sought.

Click here to read a story about the Calcutta Train