<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Joka-Taratala metro corridor in southwestern Kolkata on Saturday, an official said.</p>.<p>The prime minister will first flag off West Bengal's first Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, connecting the state's two most important cities - Kolkata in the south and Siliguri in the north.</p>.<p>He will then virtually inaugurate the much-awaited Joka-Taratala stretch of the Joka-Esplanade metro project (purple line) from the Howrah station, the metro official said. Trial runs on the 6.5 km stretch are being held since mid-September and it received the mandatory Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) clearance in November.</p>.<p>Metro Railway General Manager Arun Arora inspected passenger amenities at different stations of the stretch on December 24. There are six stations -- Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar and Taratala on the route.</p>.<p>The Indian Railways has spent Rs 2,477.25 crore for completing the 6.5 km stretch, the official said.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Joka-Taratala metro corridor in southwestern Kolkata on Saturday, an official said.</p>.<p>The prime minister will first flag off West Bengal's first Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, connecting the state's two most important cities - Kolkata in the south and Siliguri in the north.</p>.<p>He will then virtually inaugurate the much-awaited Joka-Taratala stretch of the Joka-Esplanade metro project (purple line) from the Howrah station, the metro official said. Trial runs on the 6.5 km stretch are being held since mid-September and it received the mandatory Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) clearance in November.</p>.<p>Metro Railway General Manager Arun Arora inspected passenger amenities at different stations of the stretch on December 24. There are six stations -- Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakherbazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar and Taratala on the route.</p>.<p>The Indian Railways has spent Rs 2,477.25 crore for completing the 6.5 km stretch, the official said.</p>