Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three new metro routes in Kolkata on Friday, marking a significant boost to the city’s transport infrastructure. Among the new additions is the first-ever direct metro link to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, a long-awaited facility aimed at improving airport connectivity.

The inauguration took place during Modi’s visit to West Bengal, following his trip to Bihar. He was accompanied by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya, and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar.

The newly launched routes span a total of 13.61 km and are spread across three metro lines—Green, Yellow, and Orange. The sections include Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar, Sealdah–Esplanade, and Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay.

The Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar route is expected to make airport travel faster and more reliable. The Sealdah–Esplanade metro link completes the much-anticipated East-West Metro corridor, which includes an underwater section connecting Howrah station, one of India’s busiest railway stations. Meanwhile, the Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay stretch will improve access to Kolkata’s IT hub, strengthening urban connectivity.