Modi Inaugurates Three New Kolkata Metro Routes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated new metro routes in Kolkata on Friday, including a direct link to the airport.

The new metro lines span 13.61 km and are the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar section, the Sealdah-Esplanade and the Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section.

The prime minister also laid the foundation stone of the 7.2-km six-lane elevated Kona Expressway, worth Rs 1,200 crore, in West Bengal’s Howrah district.

The inauguration took place during his visit to West Bengal, after his Bihar visit. Modi was accompanied by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar.

The metro network is spread across ‘Green’, ‘Yellow ‘and ‘Orange’ lines. The projects include the first-ever direct link to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

The Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro route is expected to facilitate better access to Kolkata's airport, making airport connectivity speedy and more reliable.

The Sealdah-Esplanade metro link completes the long-awaited East-West metro, part of which goes under the river to connect the Howrah station. Therefore, two of the busiest railway stations in the country finally got linked via metro. The Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section is meant to enhance connectivity to Kolkata's IT hub Sector V.

The elevated corridor will enhance connectivity between Howrah, surrounding rural areas and Kolkata, saving hours of travel time and giving significant boost to trade, commerce and tourism in the region, according to a PIB release.