Kolkata: Kolkata Metro is preparing to usher in a new era of urban transportation with plans to introduce driverless train operations on its Green Line (East-West Corridor) and the upcoming Purple Line. The move comes after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) granted approval for autonomous operations on the Green Line, making Kolkata the latest Indian city to adopt advanced unmanned metro technology after Delhi and Bengaluru.
The Green Line connects Howrah Maidan with Salt Lake Sector V and is equipped with Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC), the advanced signalling system required for fully automated train operations. Metro authorities, however, clarified that although regulatory approvals have been secured, driverless services will not begin immediately as internal testing and operational preparations are still underway.
Metro Railway Chief Public Relations Officer S. S. Kanon said the organisation is currently assessing its internal capabilities before rolling out the new system, adding that both the Green and Purple lines are planned to operate with unmanned trains in the future.
The driverless metro system will use Grade of Automation-4 (GoA-4), the highest level of railway automation, which allows trains to operate without onboard drivers or attendants. Similar technology is already in use on Delhi Metro’s Magenta and Pink lines, while Bengaluru Metro also operates driverless services on its Yellow Line.
To address passenger safety concerns, the metro network will rely on multiple protective systems. Platform Screen Doors (PSDs) installed at stations will remain closed until trains come to a complete halt, preventing accidental falls onto the tracks. In addition, trains are equipped with sophisticated optical sensors and physical detection systems capable of identifying obstacles on the tracks. If any object is detected, emergency braking is activated automatically.
In another major development, Kolkata Metro’s Line 6 (Orange Line) has achieved a significant construction milestone. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) successfully completed the long-delayed girder installation over pillars 317 to 319 at Chingrighata on the EM Bypass, resolving an 18-month construction bottleneck caused by traffic management and administrative delays. The breakthrough is expected to accelerate progress on the Orange Line project and improve the city’s expanding metro network.
As Kolkata moves closer to launching driverless metro services, the initiative is expected to enhance operational efficiency, improve passenger safety, and modernise public transport infrastructure in one of India’s busiest metropolitan cities.
