INDIA’S first airport rail link was inaugurated at the end of July, when Kolkata Circular Railway services were extended from Dum Dum to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport.

Construction of the airport branch was approved in December 2002 by former Railways Minister Nitish Kumar. Out-turn cost is put at Rs870m, against an original estimate of Rs1·1bn.

Built for Eastern Railway by Kolkata Metro Rail Corp, the electrified single track branch is 3·8 km long, with 2·8 km on viaduct to avoid road crossings at the urban end of the route. Land for the project was provided by the Airport Authority of India and Jessop Ordnance Factory.

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