Parliament Question: Suicide prevention gaurdrails at Kolkata Metro

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3324 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 SUICIDE PREVENTION GAURDRAILS AT KOLKATA METRO 3324 SHRI SAMIK BHATTACHARYA: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) date of installation and present operational status of suicide prevention guardrails at Kalighat Metro Station, along with the total cost incurred on the project; (b) number of suicide attempts and fatalities reported at Kalighat Metro Station during the three years prior to installation of the guardrails; (c) number of such incidents reported at Kalighat Metro Station after installation of the guardrails, year-wise; (d) total number of suicide attempts and fatalities reported across all stations of Kolkata Metro during the last three years, station-wise; and (e) whether Government proposes to expand installation of suicide prevention guardrails to additional stations, if so, details and timeline thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (e): To facilitate and guide the passengers for boarding and deboarding, guard rails have been provided at Kalighat Station. Further, the following steps are being taken by the Railways for safety and security of passengers in Metro Railway, Kolkata:-  RPF personnel are deployed at Kolkata Metro stations for access control and assistance to passengers.  Quick Response Teams are deployed at important locations of the stations which regularly patrol platforms to attend any eventualities.  Surveillance is kept through CCTV cameras provided in coaches and at metro railway stations.  For immediate assistance, passengers can make complaint on Security helpline.  Railways are in regular touch with passengers through various social media platforms like twitter etc. to enhance security of passengers and to address their security concern.  Frequent announcements are made through Public Address System to educate passengers to take precautions while boarding or deboarding the trains, keeping themselves away from the yellow line while the train is entering into the platform, against theft, etc.  Publicity for the anti-suicide campaign are undertaken through the printing and installation of banners at prominent locations, along with the broadcasting of audio messages across various Metro stations to raise awareness.The cases of suicides and unnatural deaths are registered and investigated by jurisdictional Local Police. Number of fatalities due to suicides is published state-wise by National Crime Records Bureau. Metro Projects in Kolkata started in 1972. The details of the Metro commissioned since then are as under: Period Metro Commissioned 1972 to 2014 (42 years) 28 km 2014 to 2025 (11 years) 45 km The details of Metro Corridors commissioned are as under: S.No. Metro Corridor Section Commissioned Kavi Subash – Noapara (28 Km) This Corridor commissioned before FY 2013- 1 (Blue Line) 14 (This required about 42 years to complete) Noapara – Dakshineswar (4.14 Km) This Corridor commissioned in FY 2020-21 2 (Extension of Blue Line) Noapara – Jaihind Airport - Barasat (18 Noapara – Jaihind Airport section (6.77 Km) 3 Km) (Yellow Line) Commissioned in FY 2025-26 Joka – Majerhat - Esplanade (14 Km) Joka – Majerhat section (7.74 Km) 4 (Purple Line) Commissioned in stages between FY 2022-23 to 2023-24. New Garia - Belaghata - Dumdum Airport New Garia – Belaghata (9.8 Km) 5 (32 Km) Commissioned in stages between FY 2023-24 (Orange Line) to 2025-26 Howrah Maidan – Salt Lake Sec. V (16.55 This Corridor commissioned in stages between 6 Km) (Green Line) FY 2019-20 to 2025-26. Further, work pertaining to 4 Metro corridors at total length of about 52 km is under progress, out of which 20 km of work is held up due to land acquisition and utility shifting issues pertaining to State Government. In the rest of the Metro stretch, though the work is in progress yet facing difficulties due to one or other reasons at the end of State Government. Details are as below: (i) Noapara – Jaihind Airport - Barasat (18 km): Noapara - Jai Hind Airport (6.77 km) has been commissioned and work from Jai Hind Airport to Michael Nagar is in progress. However, work from New Barrackpore to Barasat (7.5 km) is held up due to land acquisition and encroachment issues by State authorities. SN Location Issues 1. New Barrackpore to  Land acquisition (23,000 sq. m) and removal of heavy Barasat encroachments (1277 hutments, 764 shops) are involved in this section.  The matter is not yet resolved by Government of West Bengal (GoWB).(ii) Joka – Majerhat - Esplanade (14 km): Joka - Majerhat (7.74 km) has been commissioned and balance work from Majerhat to Esplanade (6.26 km) has been taken up. However, progress of the work is affected due to the following issues: SN Location Issues 1. Khidderpur Metro  For utility shifting and road traffic diversion, 837 sqm permanent Station and 1,702 sqm temporary land of State Government (Kolkata Armed Police) is required. The proposal of this land was sent to State Government on 24.08.2020.  Several meetings were held with officials of Government of West Bengal (GoWB) for transfer of above land.  After lot of persuasion, State Government finally accorded approval in July 2025 only after almost 5 years. 2. Dr. B.C. Roy  For construction of Esplanade Metro Station, temporary shifting of Market unauthorised 528 Shops at B.C. Roy Market on Defence land is required.  The proposal for NOC of temporary/permanent shifting of these shops was submitted to State Government in February 2022. Shops for temporary shifting of these unauthorized shops have also been constructed by Railway.  The State Government has been requested to facilitate shifting. Regular follow up with State PWD is also being done.  Issue is pending for more than 3.5 years. (iii) New Garia – Belaghata - Dum Dum Airport (32 km): New Garia - Belaghata (9.8 km) has been commissioned and balance work from Belaghata to Dum Dum Airport (22.2 km) has been taken up. However, progress of the work is affected due to the following issues: SN Location Issues 1. Chingrighata  Temporary traffic diversion at Chingrighata crossing for Crossing (Between launching of viaduct segments is required for 3 nights each on Beleghata – Gour either side of the road (8 hours on every night). Kishore Ghosh  The proposal was submitted to Government of West Bengal stations) (GoWB) in December 2024.  The diversion road as desired by Kolkata traffic police has already been constructed in February 2025.  Since then, several meetings have been held with various State Government and Kolkata police officials for NOC.  The NOC is still awaited even after about 12 months. (iv) Baranagar - Barrackpore - Dakshineshwar (14.5 km): Baranagar - Dakshineshwar (2 km) has been commissioned and balance work from Baranagar to Barrackpore (12.5 km) is held up due to pending utility shifting in the alignment by state government authorities. The details are as below:SN Location Issues 1. Baranagar  The original alignment along the B.T road was agreed in 2011 as to Barrackpore per MoU among Metro Railway, RVNL and Kolkata Municipal Corporation.  As per MoU, existing pipeline was to be replaced by new 64-inch diameter pipeline by the State Government.  Shifting of this pipeline was completed in 2012.  However, NOC is still awaited from Government of West Bengal. Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors which include the following:  Land acquisition by State Government  Forest clearance  Shifting of infringing utilities  Statutory clearances from various authorities  Geological and topographical conditions of area  Law and order situation in the area of project site  Number of working months in a year for particular project site etc. All these factors affect the completion time of the project/s. *****