Tolly third platform in early July

Kolkata: Six years after Metro Railway running trains beyond Tollygunge towards Garia, the original network between Dum Dum and Tollygunge continues to be the busiest. No wonder that after Metro commissions its third platform at Tollygunge and starts running 300 services within the first half of July, most of them will be between Dum Dum and Tollygunge.
Around 30,000 commuters will benefit once the trains start originating and terminating at Tollygunge, as they used to do before October, 2010. Ever since the service was extended to Garia (Kavi Subhash), commuters who took trains from Tollygunge (Mahanayak Uttam Kumar) started complaining that there was insufficient space for them. particularly during the peak hours. People who live in The worst affected are the thousands of people who live in the stretch between Haridevpur/Karunamoyee and Behala Chowrasta are the worst affected. By the time the train arrives in peak hours, it's almost impossible to even get into it. It's worse for commuters at stations down the line.
Once, the Metro had planned a 9.7-km elevated stretch between Joka and Tollygunge for the benefit of these commuters. This link would cross Churial Khal and pass through Thakurpukur, Diamond Park, Kabardanga, Mahatma Gandhi Road and Haridevpur before reaching Tollygunge. The third platform at Tollygunge was originally planned at a cost of Rs 9.8 crore till Joka. Later, the plan was shelved andit was decided to use the third platform was truncated for services between Dum Dum and Tollygunge.
"The new tracks laid for this platform are ballast-less and maintenance-free. There are no wooden sleepers, unlike in some stretches. The points and crossings in stretches, where there are wooden sleepers, which have created trouble during operations in the past. Such problems will hopefully be eliminated and train movement will be safer. We have succeeded in constructing the platform and laying tracks without disrupting normal services. This is an island platform that is connected to a Y-siding. Trains at the Tollygunge car shed will now have access to both platforms 2 and 3. The new platform is also more spacious and has better ventilation and lighting," said, Metro spokesperson, Indrani Banerjee.
Presently, Metro runs 278 services on weekdays. Metro plans to increase the service to 300 within the next few days. With this, the stretch between Dum Dum and Kavi Subhash will be divided into two sections - Dum Dum to Kavi Subhash and Dum Dum to Tollygunge. There will be more services in the Dum Dum-Tollygunge section, say sources. At Tollygunge, trains will be reversed and start running towards Dum Dum.
For the time being, Metro will carry on with its existing fleet. Two new rakes from ICF, Chennai, will arrive in December or January.
"Once we start running the 300 services, frequency at certain times of the day can be brought down from eight to six minutes. Apart from construction and track-laying, work on signalling and telecommunications were carried on simultaneously. We hope to run the maiden service between Tollygunge and Dum Dum within the next few days," Banerjee added. According to another official, the frequency might also be brought down to four minutes during the peak hours. Currently the lowest frequency is five minutes.