East-West Metro invitation row: Kolkata Metro claims CM Mamata Banerjee invited twice
Kolkata/IBNS: Hours after TMC lawmakers decided to 'boycott' Kolkata's East-West Metro's first phase's inauguration alleging that West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was not invited there, Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited (KMRCL) on Thursday evening clearly stated that CM was invited for the event twice.
"We had sent the first invitation letter to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee yesterday (Feb 12) and following Indian Railway's protocol, the principle secretary to Kolkata Metro's General Manager visited Nabanna today (Feb 13) morning to invite her personally to join the inaugural event," a senior KMRCL official told IBNS.
"As she was out of Kolkata then, both the invitations were forwarded to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and the we have received no reply from that end so far," the official added.
Earlier, state Fire and Emergency Services minister Sujit Bose, Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Krishna Chakraborty, who were invited by KMRCL for the inaugural event and whose names were mentioned in KMRCL's invitation card as guests, said that they will skip the function as CM Mamata Banerjee was not invited by the Metro railway.
The first 5.8 km. phase of East-West Metro is scheduled to be flagged off by Union Rail Minister Piyush Goyal at 5 pm. on Thursday (Feb 13).
From Friday (Feb 14), operating a distance of six stations, Kolkata East-West Metro will run its service in an elevated corridor between Sector V and Salt Lake Stadium stations from 8 am. to 8 pm. on weekdays (including Saturday) and from 12 pm. to 8 pm. on Sundays.
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