West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday reminisced her role in planning Kolkata’s metro expansion, a few hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three new metro routes in the city. The BJP, however, swiftly hit back, dismissing her claims as a “big fat zero” and accusing her of attempting to steal credit.
“Allow me to be a little nostalgic today,” she said reflecting on her tenure as the Union Railway Minister, stating that the city’s growing metro network had its roots in plans she had initiated years ago. “As the Railways Minister of India, I was fortunate in planning and sanctioning a 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," said Banerjee.
Mamata Banerjee, who served as Railway Minister twice, first under the NDA government between 1999 and 2001, and later during the UPA era from 2009 to 2011, described the expansion of Kolkata’s metro as a “long journey” both personally and politically.
As Chief Minister, she said she continued contributing to the metro’s execution on the ground. “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 coordination meetings to ensure integration of execution agencies. My planning as Railways Minister got fulfilment in my participation in execution,” she added.
Soon after Banerjee’s post, BJP leaders lashed out, accusing her of attempting to claim credit for projects that moved slowly or stalled during her time.
“Your contribution? A big fat zero,” said BJP leader and Bengal Assembly’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. “Your ‘nostalgia’ is nothing but a desperate attempt to steal credit for projects that languished under your watch," he added.
Adhikari alleged that while she may have had some involvement during the UPA years, it was the lack of cooperation from her state government after becoming Chief Minister that held the projects back. “Land acquisition failures, and outright non-cooperation by your administration have plagued the timely execution of these projects. Bengal deserves better than your false claims. Bengal deserves Modi’s vision and action," said the BJP leader.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also weighed in, criticising the Chief Minister for choosing nostalgia over action. “For a sitting Chief Minister of 15 years to indulge in nostalgia on the very day Prime Minister Modi is in Kolkata to inaugurate critical sections of the Metro is laughable,” Malviya said. “Instead of apologising to the people of Kolkata for lost time and lost opportunities, she is busy seeking credit and wallowing in self-appreciation," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 13.61 km of new metro tracks, including three key stretches that will significantly boost the city's connectivity, Sealdah–Esplanade (Green Line, 2.6 km), Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar (Yellow Line, 6.77 km), offering direct access to the airport, and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay–Beleghata (Orange Line, 4.39 km), enhancing east-west IT corridor connectivity
Modi also laid the foundation stone for a 7.2-km elevated Kona Expressway project, worth over ₹1,200 crore, expected to improve connectivity between Howrah and Kolkata.
