PM Modi Inaugurates A Slew Of Railway Projects In Bengal

Continuing with the efforts to expand the rail network in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated a slew of rail projects in the poll-bound State.

Modi inaugurated the extension of metro railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar and flagged off the first service on the stretch. He also inaugurated the third line between Kalaikunda and Jhargram.

Fully funded by the Centre, the much awaited extended stretch of metro railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar has been constructed at a cost of Rs 464 crore.

"This extended stretch will provide fast, easy, pollution-free travel bereft of traffic snarls to thousands of commuters in the city and its adjoining areas. Around 50,000 daily commuters coming from Howrah, Hooghly and North 24 Parganas will be benefited from this extension," according to the Railways.

In the 2021-2022 Union Budget, an amount of Rs 6,636 crore has been allocated for West Bengal, which is 52 per cent more than the average Budget allocation of 2009 -2014 (Rs 4,380 crore per year).

Addressing a rally, Modi said the projects unveiled on Monday will ease the lives of lakhs of people around Hooghly.

He added that better means of transport will strengthen the country's resolve for self-reliance and expressed happiness that apart from Kolkata, the people of Hooghly, Howrah and North 24 Parganas districts shall also get the benefits of a metro service.

Modi said with the inauguration of the Noapara-Dakshineswar stretch, the travel time between the two destinations would be reduced from 90 minutes to 25 minutes. He said these services would greatly benefit students and workers. Highlighting the impact of the Make in India initiative, he said it is visible in the metro or railway systems being constructed in India nowadays.

From laying of tracks and modern locomotives to modern trains and modern coaches, goods and technology used in large quantities has become indigenous. This has expedited project execution and increased the quality of construction.

Modi said there are immense possibilities of international trade for West Bengal and the northeast. He said with these new rail lines, life will be easier and new avenues will be available for industries.

"With this extension, lakhs of tourists and devotees will be able to visit the two world-famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar easily by metro. Commuting from Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash (New Garia) by metro will take only 62 minutes as compared to two-and-a-half hours by road," the railways said.

Modi also inaugurated the third line between Kalaikunda and Jhargram (30 km) of the 132-km-long Kharagpur-Adityapur Third Line Project of the South Eastern Railway, which was sanctioned with an estimated cost of Rs 1,312 crore.

The project covers 55 km in West Bengal and 77 km in Jharkhand.
The commissioning of this third line will help improve mobility in the Kharagpur-Adityapur section and ensure seamless movement of passenger and freight trains on the Howrah-Mumbai Trunk route.

The Prime Minister also dedicated the doubling of the section between Azimganj to Khagraghat Road, which is part of the Howrah-Bandel-Azimganj section of the Eastern Railway, at a project cost of Rs 239.38 crore.

"This route is extremely important for the movement of passengers and freight to northeastern states as it acts as an alternative route from Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri and Guwahati and connects important power plants of Sagardighi of the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited, NTPC Farakka and places of religious and historical importance," the railways said.

Modi also dedicated the fourth line between Dankuni and Baruipara (11.28 km) of the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line and the third line between Rasulpur and Magra (42.42 km) of the Howrah-Bardhaman main line.

"Both these projects are super critical projects and will enhance the capacity on the highly-utilised network in Hooghly district of West Bengal.
Commissioning of the third line between Rasulpur and Magra section, at a cost of Rs 759 crore, will help in running more passenger and goods trains on this saturated section," according to the Railways.

The commissioning of the fourth line between Dankuni and Baruipara on the over-saturated Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani route at a project cost of Rs 195 crore will also help run more passenger and goods trains.

These projects of the Eastern and South Eastern Railway will ensure better operational fluidity, reduced travel time and safety of train operations as well as the overall economic growth of the region.