Kolkata is set to receive a significant transport upgrade next week, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate three metro projects on August 22. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar announced on Thursday that the PM will unveil the Sealdah-Esplanade stretch of the Green Line, the Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Crossing)-Beleghata stretch of the Orange Line, and the Noapara-Jai Hind (Airport) stretch of the Yellow Line.

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Sealdah-Esplanade, Green Line

The Sealdah-Esplanade stretch of the Green Line spans 2.63 km as part of the overall 13 km Kolkata Metro Green Line, which connects Sector V to Sealdah and Howrah Maidan to Esplanade through 12 stations. The operational route began with the Sector V to Salt Lake Stadium stretch of 5.3 km, which opened on 13 February 2020. 

This was followed by the Salt Lake Stadium to Phoolbagan stretch, covering 1.7 km, which became operational on 5 October 2020. The Phoolbagan to Sealdah stretch, spanning 2.1 km, started service on 14 July 2022. Finally, the Howrah Maidan to Esplanade stretch of 3.9 km was inaugurated on 6 March 2024, completing the operational sections of the Green Line.

Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Crossing)-Beleghata, Orange Line

The newly extended section of the Orange Line in Kolkata spans approximately 4.39 kilometres, running from Hemanta Mukhopadhyay station in the south to Beleghata in the north. Currently, commercial operations are active between New Garia and Ruby Crossing, covering five stations: Kavi Subhash, Satyajit Ray, Jyotirindra Nandi, Kavi Sukanta, and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay. With the extension reaching Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, commuters can now conveniently interchange between the Blue Line (Dakshineswar–New Garia) and the Orange Line at Kavi Subhash station.

Noapara- Jai Hind (airport), Yellow Line

The under-construction Line 4 (Yellow Line) of the Kolkata Metro spans 16.876 km between Noapara and Barasat, with a total of 10 stations planned along the route. A 7.03 km stretch between Jai Hind Bimanbandar (Airport) and Noapara is nearing completion, covering four stations: Noapara, Dum Dum Cantt, Jessore Road, and Biman Bandar.

Meanwhile, the 2.6-km extension of the East-West Metro from Esplanade to Sealdah is also expected to be inaugurated soon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will mark the full operationalization of the corridor from Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector V. Additionally, the 4.5-km extension of the Orange Line from Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby) to Beleghata is approaching completion.

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Projects worth Rs 83,765 crore are currently underway in West Bengal, with a record allocation of Rs 13,955 crore made for the state in this year’s budget, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. He added that 101 railway stations across the state are being redeveloped, while nine Vande Bharat and two Amrit Bharat trains are already operational. Metro Railway Kolkata, which manages the city’s mass rapid transit system, functions as a zone under Indian Railways.