PM Modi to Launch Kolkata’s Metro Lines as Mamata Faces Invite Drama

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has extended an invitation to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the August 22 inauguration of three transformative Kolkata Metro projects, to be officiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event will mark the launch of the Sealdah-Esplanade section of the Green Line, the Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Crossing)-Beleghata section of the Orange Line, and the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar (airport) section of the Yellow Line.

In a letter dated August 14, Vaishnaw urged Banerjee to attend the ceremony at Jessore Road metro station. However, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has yet to confirm her participation and has criticized the timing of the inauguration, alleging it is strategically planned with the upcoming 2026 assembly elections in mind.

The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) refuted these claims, attributing delays in the metro projects to the state government’s lack of cooperation. “Forty-three railway projects, including the East-West Metro, have faced delays due to land acquisition issues and insufficient support from the state,” said state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya. He noted that the Orange Line’s progress at Chingrighata has been particularly stalled, preventing its extension to Salt Lake Sector 5.

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Bhattacharya expressed hope that Banerjee would attend, emphasizing the significance of the event. The inauguration will fully operationalize the Green Line, India’s first underwater metro, connecting Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector 5, and establish a vital metro link to Kolkata’s airport.

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