Travel from Dakshineswar to Ruby on just a single 45 Metro token

KOLKATA: The city is likely to get its fourth Metro corridor — from New Garia to Ruby crossing — this weekend. When that happens, you can travel from Dakshineswar to Ruby for just Rs 45, that too on a single token.

Metro Railway on Tuesday issued a press release saying, “Commercial services on the Kavi Subhas (New Garia)-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (at Ruby crossing) stretch (also called Orange line) are going to start very soon. For the first time, an integrated ticketing system will be introduced between the Blue line (North-South corridor) and the Orange line. A passenger will be able to travel seamlessly from Dakshineswar or any other station of the Blue line to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay or any other station of the Orange line and vice versa with the help of a single token or smart card.”

The minimum fare for the set-to-be-launched New Garia-Ruby section, which is a part of the 32km New Garia-Airport corridor, is Rs 5 and the maximum Rs 20. And the minimum and maximum fare for a single token or a smart card for both lines Rs 45 and Rs 25, respectively. So a passenger will have to pay Rs 45 to travel from Dakshineswar or any station up to Sovabazar of the Blue line to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay station of the Orange line. The integrated fare will be Rs 40 from Girish Park or any station up to Rabindra Sarobar to Ruby crossing.

From Tollygunge (Mahanayak Uttam Kumar station) to Masterda Surya Sen (Bansdroni), one will have to pay Rs 35 to come to Ruby. From Gitanjali (Naktala) and Kavi Nazrul (Garia Bazar) station, a passenger will have to pay Rs 30. From Sahid Khudiram (Dhalai Bridge) to Ruby, the fare will be Rs 25, the same as he would pay to travel from Dakshineswar to New Garia. “For those availing only the truncated Orange line, the maximum fare is Rs 20 (New Garia-Ruby) and the minimum Rs 5,” a Metro official said.

The truncated 5.4km of the Orange line, which is ready for launch, has been built for Rs 1,550 crores. A total of five Metro stations lie on the stretch — Kavi Subhas (New Garia), Satyajit Ray (Hiland Park), Jyotindra Nandi (Ajoynagar), Kavi Sukanta (Abhishikta crossing) and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby crossing).

From day one of the commissioning of Phase 1, commuters can buy a single token for both the North-South (Blue) and the New Garia-Ruby (Orange) lines that meet at the Kavi Subhas station interface at New Garia. The city is waiting with bated breath for this Metro. After all, for the first time, the country’s oldest Metro will be integrated with another Metro line. And then, switching from one corridor to another will be hassle-free.