Kolkata Metro Completes Critical Girder Work on Orange Line
After a two-year delay, construction crews have successfully completed the girder launching work for the Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line at the Chingrighata crossing. The project, which aims to bridge a 366-meter gap, reached a significant milestone this Monday, marking a major step forward for the long-awaited infrastructure project.
Overcoming the Deadlock
The construction of the viaduct had remained stalled since 2024 due to challenges in securing necessary permissions for traffic diversions. The project required blocking traffic near the Chingrighata crossing to facilitate the lifting of concrete segments between piers 317 to 319.
The issue became a subject of intense legal scrutiny. On September 3, 2025, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court encouraged stakeholders—including the Metro Railway, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the West Bengal government, and the Kolkata Police—to reach a consensus. Following a failed effort to resolve the deadlock through mediation, the High Court directed the completion of the work by February 15, 2026. After the state government challenged this directive in the Supreme Court, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, dismissed the petition on March 23, 2026, citing an “obstinate attitude” that hindered public infrastructure development.
Impact on the Orange Line
The Orange Line is designed to connect the New Garia metro station in southeast Kolkata to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport, serving as a vital link through the city’s IT hub in Sector V. Spanning 32 kilometers, the project has faced various challenges, including land acquisition issues, since its inception. Officials confirmed that following the recent government authorization, the girder installation was completed over the course of two weekends.
Key Takeaways
- Project Status: The critical 366-meter girder gap at the Chingrighata crossing is now closed.
- Timeline: The work, which had been stalled since 2024, was completed following a Supreme Court ruling in March 2026.
- Connectivity: Once fully operational, the Orange Line will provide a direct transit route between New Garia and the NSCBI airport, passing through the major business district of Sector V.
Moving Forward
The completion of this segment removes a primary bottleneck that had prevented the progress of the Orange Line for years. As the project moves toward its next phase, the focus will shift to finalizing the remaining infrastructure to integrate the line into Kolkata’s broader transit network. The successful resolution of the Chingrighata crossing work serves as a pivotal development for commuters who rely on the city’s expanding metro connectivity.
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