Kolkata Metro, the country’s first underground transit system, has long been the city’s lifeline, connecting neighbourhoods with speed and efficiency since its launch in 1984. What began as a 3.4-km stretch between Esplanade and Bhowanipur has now grown into a sprawling 60 km network, which served 19.2 crore commuters in 2023–24—up from just 14.6 lakh in 1984.
But with rising ridership—averaging 1.7 to 1.9 crore passengers each month—commuters are voicing growing concerns. From overcrowded platforms and erratic train schedules to outdated infrastructure and ticketing hassles, many say their daily Metro journey is far from smooth.
My Kolkata spoke to daily passengers on what needs fixing—and what could make the ride safer, quicker, and more comfortable.
More trains please
Firdoushi Begum, a resident of Picnic Garden, stressed the need to increase train frequency during peak hours.
“Passengers often face overcrowding during office hours. It would be a big help if they reduced the interval between trains to 3–4 minutes,” she said, urging Metro authorities to address congestion during the rush.
Needs better tech support
Firdoushi also pointed out the need for improved digital infrastructure. “Passengers need real-time information and smoother ticketing. Upgrading the current system would significantly improve the overall experience,” she added.
Fix ticketing woes
For Sk Abrar Nadim, a city-based copywriter, ticketing remains a pain point. “Ticket counters are often understaffed, causing long queues,” he said, highlighting a familiar frustration among commuters who rely on traditional ticketing systems.
Better online service
Nadim also flagged issues with the online system. “The online ticketing process can be complicated for many,” he noted, suggesting that user-friendly digital platforms and better support could go a long way in easing the everyday Metro journey.
Extend operating hours
Akash Ghoshal suggested extending the operational hours to cater to passengers with early or late work schedules. “Running early morning and late-night metro services would help a lot of people who travel during odd hours,” he said, adding that such a move would make the Metro more inclusive and accessible.
Fix the cooling system
Ghoshal also raised concerns about the air-conditioning inside the coaches during rush hours. “It becomes suffocating during peak hours due to less cooling. Maintaining the AC temperature is important for commuter comfort,” Akash pointed out, urging Metro authorities to ensure consistent and effective cooling, especially when coaches are packed.
Water leaking from the AC vents is another hitch, said a few regular travellers.
QR code slips failure
Shreya Dutta, a marketing and sales professional, takes the Metro at least four to five times a day. The most frustrating part of her commute is when the slips don’t scan. “You stand in a queue with the slip, and when it's your turn, you put the slip on the scanner, and it does not read. The people behind you also get frustrated,” she said.
Dutta, a resident of Behala, also pointed out that the slips also cause a mess often, as people don’t bother to throw them in the bin. “The slips lie all over the place despite the authority providing a dustbin. The tokens are much better.”
Delays
SEO professional Sriparna Mitra spoke about the wrong timings at a few stations, such as Dumdum and Chandni Chowk. “The timings shown are not always accurate. The trains do not come at the shown time.”
Enhance safety
For Arka Basu, punctuality and safety remain two key concerns. “Trains often arrive late, which affects thousands of daily commuters. Ensuring on-time arrivals and departures should be a top priority,” he said, calling for better schedule management and operational efficiency.
Arka suggested the installation of automatic platform screen doors across all stations. “These doors will open only when the train halts and close after boarding and deboarding is complete. This can drastically reduce delays caused by suicide attempts and prevent such incidents altogether,” he said.
41 years of Kolkata Metro, no public toilets yet
Delhi Metro, one of the busiest global metros, has public toilets at each and every station. But Kolkata Metro, which came up almost two decades before the Delhi Metro, still has no public toilets in the blue line
“It took the metro 20 years to get drinking water. It’s been 40 years and there are still no toilets. My mother, who is diabetic, was travelling by metro earlier this year and it was a situation that she had to use the toilet immediately. Thankfully the security helped her to the staff toilet,” said former journalist Anik Mitra.
Mitra suggests adding a toilet to each station because no one knows who might need to use one. And for the ladies who use the metro as their daily commute it would help them travel with a free mind instead of worrying where they will find a clean, usable toilet next.
Joka-Majerhat Metro line timing
Sharmishtha Sur, a schoolteacher from Behala, who uses the Joka–Majerhat Metro line (purple line), said the 24-minute interval between trains is unhelpful for office-goers.
“The lack of metro service on Saturdays and Sundays is frustrating. The timing doesn’t help daily commuters at all,” said Sur. She urged authorities to start weekend services, even with limited hours, and to reduce the gap between trains to 10–12 minutes during peak hours to ease pressure on roads and public transport.
The Kolkata Metro currently has four operational lines. The Blue Line connects Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash with 26 stations, the Green Line connects Salt Lake Sector V to Phoolbagan with 12 stations and further extensions planned, the Purple Line connects Joka to Esplanade with seven stations, and the Orange Line connects Kavi Subhash to Hemanta Mukherjee with five stations.