Will PM Modi Ride the Metro in Kolkata Again on Aug 22?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- PM Modi's upcoming Metro ride marks his second in Kolkata.
- Three new Metro lines are set to be inaugurated.
- The event highlights ongoing improvements in urban transport.
- Political implications regarding stalled projects in West Bengal were raised.
- Public transport expansion is crucial for Kolkata's development.
Kolkata, Aug 17 (NationPress) After a span of one and a half years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a Metro journey once more in Kolkata. On August 22, the Prime Minister will officially inaugurate three new Metro lines in and around the metropolis. He is also scheduled to personally experience one of the newly launched Metro lines during his visit.
During a press conference on Sunday, West Bengal BJP president and MP Samik Bhattacharya shared the details.
"The Prime Minister will first arrive at Jessore Road Metro station via road from Kolkata Airport. He will begin the metro service at that station. Following this, he will board the inaugural train from Jessore Road station to Jai Hind Airport Metro station. Subsequently, he will return to Jessore Road station from Airport station. After completing this journey, he will travel by road to Dum Dum Central Jail Ground for his administrative and political meetings," Bhattacharya explained.
This will mark the second occasion when the Prime Minister will experience a Metro ride in Kolkata. In March 2024, PM Modi inaugurated the nation's first underwater metro in Kolkata and took the inaugural ride beneath the Hooghly River.
During his forthcoming visit, PM Modi will also inaugurate the extended services on the Orange Line (from New Garia to Airport) and the Green Line (from Sector Five to Howrah Maidan).
Previously, he inaugurated the Orange Line service from New Garia to Ruby (Hemant Mukherjee Station). This time, he will initiate passenger services from Ruby to Beliaghata, thereby making metro services accessible along the entire stretch of EM Bypass from New Garia to Beliaghata.
Concurrently, Bhattacharya criticized the West Bengal government, asserting that 43 railway projects are stalled in the state.
"If a state lacks a definitive land policy and a government declares it will not acquire even a single square foot of land upon assuming power, how can such railway projects be realized?" Bhattacharya questioned.