Kolkata Metro will run extra and late-night Blue and Green Line services on Christmas Day to handle festive crowds heading to Park Street and central Kolkata. (Image: Kolkata Metro)
In a festive boost for city revellers, Kolkata Metro has announced extended operations on Christmas Day, with additional and late-night services on the Blue Line (North–South) and Green Line (East–West) to manage the expected surge of commuters heading to celebration hubs such as Park Street.
On December 25, the Metro will deviate from its usual holiday schedule in view of the “sea of humanity” anticipated in central Kolkata.
Services will begin early in the morning as usual, with the first Blue Line train departing at 6:50 am from both Noapara and Shahid Khudiram, while the first Green Line service will start at 6:39 am from Sector V. The last Blue Line train will leave Shahid Khudiram at 10:30 pm, while Green Line services will mostly run till 9:55 pm from both Sector V and Howrah Maidan.
Here’s a look at how often the services will run.
A total of 224 services will operate on the corridor. During peak hours, trains will run at intervals of seven minutes between 2:40 pm and 8:30 pm to manage the afternoon and evening rush. The last train from Shahid Khudiram will depart at 10:30 pm, while the final service from Dakshineswar will leave at 10:23 pm.
The Green Line will run 201 services on the day. During peak hours, trains will operate at six-minute intervals from 4:25 pm to 8:30 pm. In addition, one extra service will run from Howrah Maidan to Central Park at 10.20 pm.
Every Christmas, the stretch between Park Street, Maidan and Esplanade turns into a massive open-air carnival, drawing lakhs of people.
Park Street — often dubbed the city’s “Christmas Street” — witnesses pedestrian-only movement as crowds gather to see themed lighting at Allen Park and visit eateries such as Flurys and Trincas.
Maidan and Esplanade also see large gatherings for winter picnics, and visits to nearby landmarks Victoria Memorial and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Commuters may expect heavy security arrangements and one-way pedestrian movement at Park Street Metro station.
Meanwhile, normal services will continue on the Yellow, Purple and Orange Lines. Two direct services from Jai Hind Bimanbandar to Shahid Khudiram (via Noapara) will also operate as usual.