PM Flags Off 3 Metro Links in Kolkata; Six-Lane Kona Expressway Gets Nod

PM Also Inaugurated the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Muzaffarpur

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of the six-lane Kona Expressway project, worth over ₹1,200 crore, besides inaugurating three new metro routes in Kolkata. The 7.2 km-long Kona Expressway will significantly boost connectivity between Howrah, adjoining rural areas and Kolkata, cutting down travel time by hours and giving a major push to trade, commerce and tourism in the region, officials said.

Earlier in the day, the prime minister flagged off the three new metro services spanning the Green, Yellow and Orange lines, covering 13.61 km, which officials termed as a "defining moment" in the city's metro journey that began in 1984.

"It is a matter of pride that India boasts the third-largest metro network in the world. Remarkably, prior to 2014, the country had only 250 km of metro routes. Today, that figure has exceeded 1,000 km," Modi said. In Kolkata, the metro network has also witnessed significant expansion, with the addition of seven new stations. These developments will greatly enhance the ease of living and commuting for the residents of the metropolis, he said.

"This marks a big step towards improved urban mobility and seamless connectivity. Cities like Kolkata are a rich identity of both India's history and our future," the PM said, after the foundation stone-laying ceremony.

He said the Union government is making every possible effort for West Bengal's development, and that the eastern state has achieved 100 per cent railway electrification.