Railway approves Rs 1 lakh cr projects worth in West Bengal; announces 60 new Metro trains

Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw also travelled on the Kolkata Metro from Jai Hind Station to Noapara Station and interacted with fellow passengers to understand their travel experience and gather feedback on metro services. During the visit, Vaishnaw announced that around 60 new-generation Metro trains will be inducted into the Kolkata Metro network over the next four-five years. He said the new trains will modernise Metro services and further strengthen urban mobility in the city.    Citing the Kolkata Metro project at Chingrighata, he said the state government had taken legal challenges up to the Supreme Court before the project was allowed to proceed. He added that the High Court had earlier directed that work at Chingrighata continue, and the Supreme Court had also ruled in favour of the project’s execution.   The Railway Minister said he had requested Chief Minister Shri Adhikari to jointly review all ongoing railway projects in the state to ensure faster execution and completion.

Meanwhile the CM on X said, “I am absolutely delighted to share that our joint efforts have yielded immediate results, with a flurry of long-awaited and crucial Railway Projects receiving an official GREEN SIGNAL which will significantly boost sub-urban and main-line connectivity across North and South Bengal, speed up pending track related works.” Describing the meeting as “highly productive” Adhikari said the “discussions centered entirely on accelerating the development of Railway Infrastructure in West Bengal”. The CM said that the modernisation of key railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Scheme would provide world-class amenities to commuters and significantly enhance the passenger experience. He added that the projects, involving investments worth thousands of crores of rupees, are expected to generate substantial local employment opportunities and provide a major boost to the state’s economy. Thanking PM Modi and the Railway Minister, Adhikari said, “When the State and the Centre work in tandem with a vision for development, the People win. We are committed to ensuring these projects are executed smoothly and swiftly for the benefit of the People of West Bengal”.