Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Kolkata on Tuesday morning, will address a public rally at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday. His visit to Barasat comes as protests rock Sandeshkhali, where women have alleged TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh of sexual assault, extortion and land grab.
The BJP had earlier said that the people from Sandeshkhali will attend the rally. State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said the "tortured women" of Sandeshkhali will be present at the rally venue but is unclear whether the victims would meet the prime minister or no.
The BJP state unit said it would facilitate a meeting of the victims with the tortured women if they are willing.
Meanwhile, videos from Sandeshkhali showed people leaving en masse to Barasat to attend the public rally.
Last week, Modi addressed two rallies in West Bengal, one each at Arambagh in Hooghly district and Krishnanagar in Nadia district. He had slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government over "atrocities on women" in Sandeshkhali, stating that the entire country was seething with anger over the issue, and called upon people to ensure her party's defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Underwater metro
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the country's first underwater Metro section between Howrah Maidan and Kolkata's Esplanade on Wednesday. A part of Kolkata Metro's East-West Metro corridor runs under the Hooghly River.
This is considered a groundbreaking addition to the metropolis's transportation network and is touted to be the first transportation tunnel "under any mighty river in India". It is also the deepest metro station in the country -- the Howrah Metro Station.
Nestled under the River Hooghly, which separates the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah on its east and west banks respectively, this feat stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity.
Kolkata Metro touched a milestone in April 2023, as its rakes completed a trial journey under the bed of Hooghly through a tunnel 32 metres below the water level for the first time in India. "Although the inauguration will take place tomorrow, the passenger services will begin at a later date," CPRO Metro Railways Kaushik Mitra.
Spanning a 4.8-km stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, it forms a vital segment of the East-West Metro corridor, connecting key areas such as the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V.
According to a press release issued by the Metro Rail, the 4.8-km stretch of East-West Metro from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade has been built at a cost of Rs 4,965 crore and it will have the deepest Metro station in India at Howrah -- which is 30 metres below the ground level.
Of the total 16.6 km of the East-West Metro corridor, 10.8 km is underground, including the groundbreaking tunnel beneath the Hooghly.
The section of the metro, featuring six stations, three of which are underground, promises improved accessibility for commuters, catering to the city's bustling areas.
As a Metro train is expected to traverse the 520-metre stretch under the river in just 45 seconds, it not only offers speed but also ensures a seamless and time-efficient mode of transportation, further enhancing Kolkata's connectivity and urban mobility.
The communique also said it would benefit people coming from distant places of Hooghly, Howrah, Medinipur as well as other states who would immensely benefit by availing of Metro services after getting down at Howrah railway station.
(With PTI inputs)
