PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated several pivotal infrastructure projects in Kolkata, marking a significant leap in the city’s connectivity and urban development. The projects, including three new sections of the Kolkata Metro and a six-lane elevated expressway, are expected to cut travel times majorly and ease congestion. PM also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore.
PM Modi flagged off the new Metro services from Jessore Road Metro Station, signifying the formal opening of the Sealdah-Esplanade, Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar sections. He took a ride on the new Metro along with schoolchildren and shramjivees (workers).
During the event, attended by Governor C V Ananda Bose, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shipping & Waterways Minister Shantanu Thakur, and other dignitaries, the PM also laid the foundation stone for a new subway at Howrah Metro Station.
No state government representative was present at the event.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said that he once again had the opportunity to “accelerate the development of West Bengal.” Sharing his experience of his Kolkata Metro trip from Noapara to the Jai Hind Airport, Modi said that during this visit, he interacted with many colleagues and noted that everyone expressed happiness over the modernisation of Kolkata’s public transport system. He extended congratulations to the people of Kolkata and all citizens of Bengal for these projects. “Cities such as Kolkata are a rich embodiment of both India’s history and its future, as India moves towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, places such as Dum Dum and Kolkata will play a pivotal role”, said Modi.
He pointed out that efforts are underway across Indian cities to promote green mobility, while the number of electric charging points and electric buses is being increased. He added that under the ‘Waste to Wealth’ initiative, cities are now generating electricity from urban waste.
Highlighting that metro services are expanding and metro networks are being extended, Modi expressed pride in the fact that India now has the world’s third-largest metro network. He pointed out that before 2014, the country had only 250 km of Metro routes, while today, the Metro network in India has expanded to over 1,000 km. He stated that Kolkata too has witnessed continuous expansion of its metro system.
The Prime Minister informed that approximately 14 km of new lines are being added to Kolkata’s metro rail network, while seven new stations are being integrated into the Kolkata Metro. He affirmed that all these developments will enhance the “Ease of Living and Ease of Travel for the people of Kolkata.”
“21st-century India requires a 21st-century transport system. Therefore, today across the country, modern transport facilities — from railways to roads, metros to airports—are being developed and interconnected,” said Modi.
He said a glimpse of this vision can be seen in Kolkata’s multi-modal connectivity.
The Prime Minister pointed out that two of the country’s busiest railway stations — Howrah and Sealdah — are now connected via Metro. He pointed out that travel time between these stations, which earlier took around one-and-a-half hours, will now take only a few minutes by Metro, adding that the Howrah Station subway is also ensuring multimodal connectivity. Noting that earlier, passengers had to take long detours to catch trains from Eastern Railway or South Eastern Railway, Modi said with the construction of this subway, interchange time would be significantly reduced. The Prime Minister announced that Kolkata Airport is now connected to the metro network, which will make it easier for people from distant parts of the city to reach the airport.
PM Modi emphasised that West Bengal is now among the states where 100 per cent railway electrification has been achieved. He acknowledged the long-standing demand for a MEMU train between Purulia and Howrah. The PM informed that nine Vande Bharat trains are currently operating on various routes in Bengal with two additional Amrit Bharat trains also running for the people of the state.
In a move to strengthen road infrastructure, PM Modi also inaugurated the 7 km, six-lane elevated Kona Expressway, a project costing over Rs 1,200 crore.