Overview

• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the inaugural Purulia–Bankura–Howrah MEMU via Masagram to strengthen rural and regional connectivity.
• Funding for West Bengal’s rail network has risen from ₹4,380 crore in 2009–14 to ₹14,000 crore today, driving new services and infrastructure works.
• A master plan now covers new railway lines, Gati Shakti cargo terminals and a four-track chicken-neck corridor with a link from Sivok through Siliguri to New Mal Junction.
• Santragachi and 101 other stations are being overhauled under the Amrit Bharat scheme as environment-friendly hubs designed for over 50,000 daily users by 2063.
• Vaishnaw urged state authorities to resolve land acquisition and traffic-permission hurdles for Kolkata Metro and other projects to maintain construction timelines.