After ferrying passengers for over three decades, the non-AC coaches of Kolkata metro are finally to be shelved, officials announced on Sunday, while celebrating its 37th Operational Day.
Kolkata non-AC metro was launched on October 24 in 1984, becoming the first underground mass transport system of India. It is now set to retire.
The metro rail officials said that the commercial services in Kolkata will be operated with the help of 22 air-conditioned coaches only. The older non-AC rakes have been suspended from commercial runs and kept idle at the Noapara car shed.
The last non-AC coach will run for the last time at 5:30pm on Sunday from Mahanayak Uttam Kumar station to the Naopara Car-shed, 37 years after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid its foundation.
Kolkata metro rail organised an exhibition on Sunday at the Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge) station. The final run of non-AC metro rakes without passengers.
The new trucks provided by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Perambore are finally operational after the initial technological breakdown, Metro officials said, adding that the number of AC trains has increased since December.
Kolkata metro General Manager Manoj Joshi said, “The codal life of a metro is 25 years. Already all the non-AC rakes have completed their codal life journey. Now, the time has come to move on for the modernised rake.”
Prior to this, only 60 per cent of metro coaches had cool air, sources said. With more AC racks on ships, older non-AC racks will be phased out, they added.
In March, the last seven BEL-produced racks will be removed, the official said. Back in 1984, metro services began with seven non-AC yellow rakes until 1988.
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