Page 24 - Kolkata

India's first underwater metro surpasses 70,000 passenger count on day 1

The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade metro section, which passes below the Hooghly river through the country's first under-water transportation tunnel, carried more than 70,000 passengers on the first day of its operation, an official said on Saturday. Commercial operation on the stretch started on Friday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on March 6. The number of passengers on the first day in this 4.8-km underground stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade was 70,204, the official said. He said that out of these, 23,444 persons boarded at Howrah Maidan, while 20,923 passengers boarded at Howrah, which is the deepest metro station in India. Mahakaran and Esplanade metro stations recorded 13,453 and 12,384 originating passengers, respectively, on the first day, the official said. The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of the East West metro corridor has the first transportation tunnel under any mighty river in India. It passes under the Hooghly, on the east and west banks o

Infra companies among top electoral bond donors: Election Commission

Cement majors donated Rs 233 crore; in mining and metals, Vedanta, Aditya Birla Group also figure among top 10

Country's first underwater metro train commences commercial services

Commercial services of the country's first underwater metro train commenced in Kolkata on Friday with hundreds of passengers erupting into jubilation on their first ride. A train began its journey from the Howrah Maidan station on the East-West metro corridor of Kolkata at 7 am with loud cheers and claps from commuters, while another started from Esplanade station at the same time. Hundreds of commuters thronged the stations in the early morning to be part of the "first-day first underwater metro" bandwagon. At Howrah Maidan station, passengers were seen standing in a long queue in the morning to get a ticket, while the authorities greeted them with rose stems at Esplanade station. There was excitement among the passengers while a section of commuters at the Howrah Maidan station started chanting 'Jai Sri Ram' slogan as they boarded the train. The commercial services began after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 6 inaugurated the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee suffers injury on forehead, admitted to hospital

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday evening suffered injuries on her forehead and was admitted to a hospital, the TMC said. Our chairperson @MamataOfficial sustained a major injury. Please keep her in your prayers, the party posted on X along with pictures of Banerjee bleeding from her forehead. According to sources, she was admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. The details of how she received the injury are still awaited.

LS elections: TMC to launch poll campaign with mega rally in Kolkata today

The Trinamool Congress will launch its Lok Sabha poll campaign with a grand rally on Sunday at Kolkata's famed Brigade Parade Grounds, where party supremo Mamata Banerjee is expected to set the tone for the upcoming elections. Christened 'Jana Garjan Sabha', the mega event will feature three platforms, including a cross ramp, with Mamata Banerjee and TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee taking centre-stage as the main speakers. The rally's overarching theme revolves around the alleged withholding of the state's financial dues by the central government, a contentious issue that has dominated state politics for the past two years. Lakhs of supporters and numerous block-level leaders were seen in the morning flocking from different districts to hear their leader, affectionately called 'Didi'. "We are organising a rally at Brigade Parade Grounds after a long time. It is going to be a historic event. Our party supremo Mamata Banerjee will give a message which we will take

MSMEs need to be future ready, foster development, says CII president

CII conference highlights MSMEs' future readiness and role in eastern region's development

TMC critic Abhijit Gangopadhyay joins BJP after quitting as HC judge

Former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay is known for his judgement ordering a CBI probe into the alleged West Bengal teacher recruitment scam, in which CM Mamata Banerjee's nephew is a suspect

PM Modi rides underwater metro, launches Rs 15k crore projects in Kolkata

Prime Minister Modi was spotted taking a metro ride on Kolkata's Esplanade - Howrah Maidan metro route, which is India's first underwater metro

PM Modi launches India's first underwater metro service in Bengal: 5 points

Kolkata underwater metro launch: Built at a cost of Rs 4,965 crore, the engineering marvel is part of the 16.6 km of the East-West Metro corridor

India's first underwater metro: Key things you need to know

On March 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first underwater metro route in Kolkata. Watch the video to know more about this unique rail route

Kolkata-bound Spicejet flight from Delhi delayed 5 hrs due to hoax message

A Kolkata-bound Spicejet flight was delayed for more than five hours on Tuesday after the Delhi airport received a threat message about explosives being hidden in the passengers' luggage, official sources said. A woman carrying an infant has been detained by security agencies for questioning in the case, the sources said. The flight, SG-8263, was scheduled to depart around 5:40 am but it was allowed to leave only after 11:30 am after the security agencies completed an anti-sabotage check and repeat frisking of check-in and cabin baggage of the travellers and crew, they said. The airport duty manager at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport received an email around 5:20 am that "there is a safety issue" on the said flight and that "somebody was taking explosion goods in bags and luggage" onboard, a senior official said. The message was immediately flashed across and a bomb threat assessment committee comprising various security agencies and airport officials was convened. T

ED conducts raids in Kolkata in connection with fake call centre scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is carrying out raids and search operations at multiple locations in the city in connection with a fake call centre scam, a senior officer said on Wednesday. The raids and searches targeted the residences and offices of associates of the owner of Met Technologies Private Limited in the Beniapukur and Baguihati areas, he added. "We are trying to find out where was the money was siphoned to and what roles were played by these people. It seems that several crores of funds were illegally transferred abroad. Hawala connection cannot be ruled out," the ED officer told PTI. According to the agency, the state CID had arrested the owner of the firm in September last year on charges of stealing around Rs 1,000 crore from foreign and Indian nationals through his fake call centre which he had opened in 2005. While in CID custody, the accused tried to destroy evidence by calling some associates, the ED officer claimed.

GPT Healthcare sets price band at Rs 177-188 for IPO opening on Feb 22

The company revealed the price band for its upcoming initial public offering (IPO), set at Rs 177 to 188 per share

Deliver baggage within 30 minutes of landing, BCAS tells airlines

The aviation security regulator gives February 26 deadline for compliance

Bengal school jobs scam: ED searches builder's homes, office in Kolkata

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday began raids at the residences and office of a builder, who is considered close to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in the recruitment in primary schools in the state, an official said. Accompanied by central forces, ED teams raided an office and three flats of the businessman, one of which is just opposite the Chatterjee's house, in Naktala in the southern part of Kolkata, he said. The builder has played a significant role in the scam. It seems that the person has helped the arrested minister in investing the money garnered from the scam in different projects, the ED officer told PTI. Chatterjee was arrested by the central agency in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment in government-aided schools. The ED had earlier questioned the builder twice in connection with the alleged scam. Several documents and bank details seized from the possession of the per

Confusion and concern: Traders brace for impact of Paytm crisis

Some shift to alternatives and shun the platform, others still swear by it

Kolkata's very own Hogwarts

While the reading culture erodes and many books go unread, the passion for buying them remains unabated at fairs

Kolkata banks to remain closed today: Check India-wise holidays this week

Bank holidays in January: The upcoming weekend is a long one for the bank employees due to Republic Day, a fourth Saturday on the following day, and January 28 being a Sunday

Bengal school jobs scam: ED conducts raids in Kolkata for over 12 hours

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided eight places in and around Kolkata in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment in state-run and-aided schools of West Bengal, a senior officer said. The raids, which started around 6.30 am, ended in phases in the evening and the final one at around 10 pm. The searches were conducted at the residences, offices and bungalows of those who allegedly "acted as middlemen" in the scam, he said. "These middlemen used to collect money and transfer it to various addresses. We are conducting raids at the residences and offices used by them," the ED officer told PTI. Accompanied by a huge number of central forces, the ED officers started search operations at New Town and Nayabad on the eastern fringes of Kolkata, and Mukundapur in the south, he said, adding that family members of the alleged middlemen were also questioned. The officer said one of the "middlemen" was very close to former Bengal minister Partha ...

The pros and cons of digital loan apps

Are the borrowers getting into a debt trap, without understanding the risks? Digital lending is still a grey area