Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will flag off metro train services on newly constructed sections in Kolkata. The event will be during his visit to West Bengal, after visiting Bihar. He is expected to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth nearly Rs 18,000 crore in both states.
Kolkata's Urban Transport
The Prime Minister will inaugurate 13.61 km of newly constructed metro lines in Kolkata and launch train services on three routes. They are the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar section, the Sealdah-Esplanade section, and the Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section.
These projects, developed at a combined cost of over Rs 5,200 crore, are expected to significantly improve mobility in the city by connecting some of its busiest hubs, reducing travel times and easing congestion.
The Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar section will improve access to the city's airport, offering passengers a faster and more reliable option for airport connectivity. The Sealdah-Esplanade metro service will cut the current travel time of nearly 40 minutes to 11 minutes, while the Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section will strengthen links with Kolkata's IT hub.
Road Connectivity In West Bengal
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate a newly constructed subway at Howrah Metro Station, a critical interchange point for the metro and railway networks.
Major Infrastructure Push In Bihar
PM Modi launched multiple projects worth around Rs 13,000 crore in Bihar, covering key sectors such as power, roads, health, urban development and water supply. Among the highlights was the inauguration of the 8.15 km Aunta-Simaria bridge project on NH-31, including a 1.86 km six-lane bridge over the Ganga constructed at a cost of Rs 1,870 crore. The bridge is expected to cut detours of more than 100 km for heavy vehicles and ease connectivity between North and South Bihar.
Other major projects in Bihar included the inauguration of the Rs 6,880-crore Buxar Thermal Power Plant, the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre in Muzaffarpur, and new sewerage and water supply projects under Namami Gange and AMRUT 2.0. He also flagged off two new trains - the Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi, and the Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma.
