Kolkata was the first Indian city to boast a metro network. Built in the 1980s with Soviet assistance. However, several Indian cities then overtook Kolkata to boast bigger and better networks. In 2009, it was decided to build a second line for the Kolkata metro which would connect the two main terminus of the Indian Railways, Sealdah in East with Howrah in West. The line is divided into two parts, a 5.7 Km long elevated section and a 10.8 Km long underground section.

Unlike the Line 1, which employs broad gauge tracks the second line is built using the 1435 mm standard gauge. This has been done to maintain commonality with the other metro systems being built in India. Elevated section was inaugrated by the Railway Minister, Mr Piyush Goel, while the underground section is expected to be completed by mid 2022.

Trains for line 2 have been supplied by BEML, which has supplied 14 six coach trains with a capacity of 2,068 passengers each.

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