Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor. Built at a cost of Rs 4,965 crore, the 4.8-km section is India’s first underwater metro service.
The newly launched Est-West Metro strech will also have India’s deepest metro station at Howrah, which is 30 meters below the ground level.
After the inauguration, the prime minister also took a ride at the metro along with students.
Besides, the PM also laid the foundation stone of several developmental projects worth Rs 15,400 crore in Kolkata.
During the visit, Modi also flagged off train services on Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and the Taratala-Majerhat Metro sections.
Notably, this is PM Modi’s second visit to West Bengal in last one week.
Later in the day, the prime minister will also address a public rally at Barasat in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, where Sandeshkhali is situated.
The visit is strategically timed ahead of International Women’s Day and Modi will deliver a keynote address at a women’s rally at Barasat, emphasizing women’s empowerment and Sandeshkali issues will be highlighted.
The rally is expected to escalate the focus on Sandeshkhali. Furthermore, a few women, who would attend the rally on Wednesday are expected to get an opportunity to voice their grievances directly to the Prime Minister.