Kolkata, August 27, 2026 : The long-awaited Baranagar–Barrackpore stretch of Kolkata Metro’s Pink Line has moved a step closer to construction after receiving an important civic clearance from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
The 12.5-km elevated corridor, which was sanctioned in 2009, has faced prolonged delays primarily because of several major water-supply pipelines running beneath Barrackpore Trunk Road (BT Road).
KMC Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) allowing the closure of a 48-inch water transmission pipeline along the busy road. BT Road currently passes over six major water pipelines, with diameters ranging between 42 and 72 inches.
As part of the arrangement, the civic body has also approved the construction of a new 72-inch water pipeline connecting the Indira Gandhi Water Treatment Plant at Palta with the Talla Pumping Station. The replacement infrastructure is aimed at ensuring that Kolkata’s water supply remains protected while the metro project progresses.
The latest clearance comes shortly after the metro authorities floated a Rs 1,587.3-crore tender for construction of the elevated viaduct and 10 stations.
The Pink Line, officially known as Line 5, will link Baranagar with Barrackpore, running predominantly along BT Road. At Baranagar, the corridor will connect with the existing Line 1 (Blue Line), providing passengers from the northern suburbs with a direct interchange towards central Kolkata.
The proposed corridor will have 11 elevated stations: Baranagar, Kamarhati, Agarpara, Panihati, Sodepur, Subhash Nagar, Khardaha, Tata Gate, Titagarh, Talpukur and Barrackpore.
Baranagar station, which is already operational on the Blue Line, is expected to serve as the key interchange point for commuters travelling towards central Kolkata.
The new metro corridor is also expected to ease traffic pressure on BT Road and offer commuters an alternative to crowded buses and Eastern Railway suburban trains. Once operational, the journey between Baranagar and Barrackpore is expected to become significantly quicker, with travel time potentially falling by at least 30 minutes.
Residents along the route have welcomed the development, particularly those who regularly depend on buses, autorickshaws and local trains for work, education and other daily travel.
For commuters from areas such as Titagarh, Khardaha and Barrackpore, the project is expected to make access to central Kolkata more convenient while reducing dependence on road-based transport.
The project has gained fresh momentum following coordination among officials of the West Bengal government, the Centre and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari welcomed the development, describing the approvals as an example of focused administrative coordination. He said the simultaneous development of metro infrastructure and a dedicated replacement water pipeline would help protect the city’s drinking-water network while enabling the expansion of mass transit.
With the water-pipeline issue now receiving the required civic clearance and the construction tender already floated, the Pink Line project has crossed an important hurdle. The upcoming work is expected to bring the long-pending Baranagar–Barrackpore metro connection closer to reality.
