Mamata claims she planned, sanctioned Kolkata metro corridors when she was Union Railways Minister

KOLKATA: An hour before inauguration of three new metro rail routes in Kolkata on Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that she had planned and sanctioned these corridors during her tenure as the Union Railways Minister. Taking to X before Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates SealdahEsplanade Metro Section, BeleghataHemanta Mukhopadhyay Section and NoaparaJai Hind (Biman Bandar) Section from a programme in Dum Dum, Banerjee became nostalgic, while stating that expanding metro infrastructure has been a long journey for her. She said, Allow me to be a little nostalgic today. As the Railways Minister of India, I was fortunate in planning and sanctioning series of Metro Railway corridors in metropolitan Kolkata. I had drawn the blueprints, arranged the funds, initiated the works and ensured that the different ends of the city (Joka, Garia, Airport, Sector V, etc) were connected by an intra- city Metro grid. She also elaborated her efforts to execute the projects as Chief Minister of West Bengal. Allow me to be a little nostalgic today. As the Railways Minister of India, I was fortunate in planning and sanctioning series of Metro Railway corridors in metropolitan Kolkata. I had drawn the blueprints, arranged the funds, initiated the works and ensured that the different Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 22, 2025 Later, as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, I had the additional privilege of taking part in execution of the projects. From the State, I arranged free land, paved roads, arranged rehabilitation of displaced people, removed impediments, and ensured all help in the execution of projects. Our chief secretaries successively held series of coordination meeting to ensure integration of execution agencies, Banerjee reminded. My planning as Railways Minister got fulfilment in my participation in execution. Expanding Metro infrastructure has been a long journey for me. Allow me some nostalgia today, the post added. The Trinamool Congress, however, sharply attacked the Prime Minister, alleging that he was coming to Kolkata to inaugurate the projects with an eye on the Assembly elections in West Bengal due next year. Sharing four pictures of Mamata Banerjee during her tenure as the Union Railways Minister in a post on X, the partys spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, Some moments of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. She has given Bengal new routes, lines, trains, stations, projects, and employment with all her heart@MamataOfficial. What the Prime Minister will inaugurate today was also conceived, approved, and financially allocated by Mamata-di. After delaying for so long, the Prime Minister is now coming to promote himself ahead of the elections. The people of Bengal know that the real work has been done by Mamata-di, he added.