‘Always a delight to be among people in Kolkata': PM Modi's Bengal outreach before 2026 polls includes new metro lines, expressway
This visit, the Prime Minister's second in the last two months, comes as West Bengal gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections. The repeated focus on infrastructure projects is being seen as a strategic effort by the BJP to showcase its commitment to the state's development, to counter the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
'It is always a delight to be among the people of Kolkata, a city whose development we are greatly committed to. Tomorrow's programmes in the city are mainly focussed on connectivity. The metro services, which will be flagged off, include Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar, Sealdah–Esplanade and Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay routes. Connectivity to and from the airport as well as the IT hub areas will be enhanced. I am eager to be among BJP Bengal Karyakartas at a rally in Kolkata. With each passing day, public anger against the TMC is increasing. West Bengal is eagerly looking towards the BJP with hope because of our development agenda,' PM Modi posted on X on Thursday.
The centerpiece of the road development plan is the elevated Kona Expressway. This project, which will enhance connectivity between Howrah, its rural hinterland, and Kolkata, is expected to save commuters hours of travel time. It will cater to a long-standing issue of traffic congestion in the Howrah-Kolkata corridor.
Beyond the road project, the Prime Minister will be inaugurating several new metro lines that are set to revolutionize urban transport in Kolkata. These include the Noapara-Jai Hind Biman Bandar metro service, which will provide crucial connectivity to the airport; the Sealdah-Esplanade metro, which will drastically cut down travel time between two of the city's busiest hubs; and the Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section, a vital link to the city's burgeoning IT sector.
The visit comes just weeks after the Prime Minister was in Bengal on July 18 — days before the TMC's annual 'Shahid Divas' mega-rally — and it also follows an earlier address in Alipurduar on May 29.
'As the BJP looks to consolidate its position ahead of the 2026 polls, its strategy appears to be a two-pronged approach, demonstrating the Central government's investment in the state's progress while simultaneously engaging with the local populace. This developmental push is intended to present a compelling alternative to the TMC government which has, over a period of time, highlighted how the Centre has deprived Bengal by not allocating funds for several welfare schemes. Moreover, the TMC is also fighting to overcome the instances in the last few years like the RG Kar rape and murder, the SSC scam, and others,' said a political analyst on condition of anonymity.
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