Passengers of southern parts of the Kolkata City like Sarsuna, Dakghar, Muchipara and South 24 Parganas will be immensely benefited by inauguration of this project.
Trial runs on the 6.5 km stretch are being held since mid-September and it received the mandatory Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) clearance in November.
There are six stations in the first phase of the line — Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar and Taratala. Work is underway for the remaining part of the line, which will eventually connect Esplanade at the heart of the city to the southwestern suburbs.
At Esplanade, the Joka Line will meet the North-South corridor and the East-West Metro, according to the plan.
Metro services in Kolkata are at present available on two routes — the North-South Line between Dakshineswar and Kavi Subhas, and the East-West Line between Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister will flag off the Vande Bharat Express, connecting Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, at the Howrah Railway Station. The train will stop at Malda Town, Barsoi and Kishanganj stations enroute on both the directions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also dedicate four railway projects to the Nation. These include Boinchi - Shaktigarh 3rd Line, developed at a cost of ₹405 crore; Dankuni - Chandanpur 4th Line Project, developed at a cost of ₹565 crore; Nimtita - New Farakka Double Line, developed at a cost of of ₹254 crore; and Ambari Falakata - New Maynaguri - Gumanihat Doubling Project, developed at a cost of a cost of more than ₹1080 crore. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for redevelopment of New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, to be developed at a cost of more than ₹335 crore.
