Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the implementing agency to construct and commission the first phase of the New Garia-Airport and Joka-Esplanade corridors in Kolkata, is going ahead with the original plan to launch the twin Metro corridors under construction — New Garia to Ruby along EM Bypass and Joka to Taratala on DH Road — or extend the run further — from New Garia to Sector V or from Joka to Majerhat. Metro Railway, the umbrella organization for the city’s rapid transit system, has asked for an extended Phase I for both corridors but RVNL opted to stick to the original launching plans of the truncated segments. Eastern Railway has also conducted a trolley inspection of the 5km Kavi Subhas-Ruby section of the New Garia-Airport corridor. RVNL hopes to complete the Joka terminal on the available land as it has already managed to get the last tranche of land required to build a depot for a short commercial run. The remaining part of the land can be acquired in phases when a larger terminal is required to run a bigger section of the corridor. RVNL informed that it would be able to fill the 120- metre gap in the viaduct on which Metro tracks are being laid at Kalikapur (Abhishikta crossing) as it is building both sections of the corridors with the one-train only system where no signals will be required.
