Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that Bengal is looking to the BJP with hope because of the saffron party’s development agenda and the increasing anger against the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Modi will visit Kolkata on Friday to flag off metro train services on the newly constructed sections. He will also take a metro ride from Jessore Road metro station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar (airport) station and back. He will address a gathering after the inauguration.
“The city for whose development we are resolute, coming to the people of that Kolkata is always a joy for me. The events in Kolkata tomorrow are primarily related to transportation. The metro services on the Noapara-Jai Hind Airport, Sealdah-Esplanade, and Beliaghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay routes will be inaugurated. This will make commuting to the airport and the IT hub more convenient,” PM Modi wrote on X in Bengali.
“I am eager to be among @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas at a rally in Kolkata. With each passing day, public anger against the TMC is increasing. West Bengal is eagerly looking towards the BJP with hope because of our development agenda,” added the Prime Minister.
PM Modi will also address a gathering at Jessore Road metro station after the inauguration.
The inauguration of the 13.62 km of metro stretches will connect some of Kolkata’s busiest areas, reducing travel time and benefiting lakhs of daily commuters, including Howrah and Sealdah stations, IT hub Sector 5 and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
The three new stretches are Sealdah to Esplanade (2.45 km), Noapara to Jaihind Bimanbandar (6.77 km) and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, in Ruby crossing to Beleghata stations (4.39 km) across three different corridors of Kolkata Metro.
“The Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro service will improve access to the airport. The Sealdah-Esplanade metro will reduce the travel time between the two points from nearly 40 minutes to only 11 minutes,” a Metro statement said.
“The Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay metro section will play a crucial role in enhancing connectivity with the IT hub. These metro routes will connect some of Kolkata's busiest areas, bring a notable reduction in travel time, and strengthen multimodal connectivity, benefiting lakhs of daily commuters,” it added.
People residing at Baranagar, Tobin Road, Sinthee, Dum Dum, Nagerbazar, Kaikhali, among others will find it convenient to go to any part of the city by using these stations.
The cost of this project is approximately Rs 1,866 crores with three new stations namely Dum Dum Cantonment, Jessore and Jai Hind Bimanbandar. The corridor will run 120 services daily.
The Orange Line extension from Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby) to Beleghata will connect Science City, several schools, hospitals and busy commercial hubs.
The Telegraph earlier reported, a ride between Salt Lake Sector V and the airport will cost Rs 70, once the new Metro links are operational. The ride between New Garia (Kavi Subhash) and the airport will be Rs 45.
A journey between the airport and places like Park Street or Tollygunge will take Rs 40.
On the Orange Line, fares from Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Crossing) to various stations on the Blue and Green Lines are integrated, with the fare to Howrah Maidan being Rs 50.
The fare from the Airport to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay is Rs 65.
Importantly, a single smart card will be valid across routes, meaning commuters can travel from Howrah Maidan to the airport-changing lines twice -without having to buy fresh tickets.
The infrastructure has been designed with modern passenger needs in mind- wider concourses, elevators, escalators, toilets, divyang-friendly features and real-time information systems.
He will also lay the foundation of 7.2-km elevated Kona Expressway worth over Rs 1,200 crore, which will enhance connectivity between Howrah and Kolkata.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to give the event a miss, with TMC leaders citing the alleged harassment of migrants from the state in BJP-ruled regions as the reason.