'Allow me some nostalgia': Mamata recounts contribution as Railways minister before PM Modi inaugurates 3 Kolkata Metro stretches

Mamata Banerjee took over the Ministry of Railways from Lalu Prasad after the United Progressive Alliance stormed to power for the second consecutive term in 2009.

In a post on X, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday recounted how as the railways minister she was “fortunate” to plan a series of metro rail corridors in Kolkata.

Her remarks came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off Metro Railway services along three stretches in Kolkata.

The Bengal CM said she 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. “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 a series of coordination meetings to ensure integration of execution agencies. My planning as Railways Minister got fulfilled in my participation in execution,” said the CM.

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

She said expanding the metro infrastructure had been a long journey for me. “Allow me some nostalgia today,” she said.

Banerjee took over the Ministry of Railways from Lalu Prasad after the United Progressive Alliance stormed to power for the second consecutive term in 2009.

Banerjee is likely to skip the inauguration of three Kolkata metro projects by PM Modi.  According to reports, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a letter dated August 14, invited Banerjee for the event.

"There have been charges of linguistic discrimination and the harassment of the Bengalis in several states, with the alleged support of the BJP and the central government. Protests are underway to oppose such discriminatory treatment being meted out to Bengali migrants. In such a situation, the chief minister does not wish to share the stage with officials from the central government," a top bureaucrat told PTI.