Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch and lay foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹42,000 crore in Assam and West Bengal on Saturday as part of an effort to strengthen infrastructure in northeastern and eastern India.
During the two-day visit, the Prime Minister will first reach Silchar in Assam, where projects worth more than ₹23,500 crore will be launched. He will later travel to Kolkata in West Bengal to inaugurate projects valued at about ₹18,680 crore. The Prime Minister will also address public meetings in both states.
Subheading: Infrastructure projects in Assam
The Prime Minister is scheduled to reach Silchar at around 10:45 a.m., where he will launch projects related to roads, railways, education and agriculture. The projects are aimed at improving connectivity in the northeastern region, accelerating trade and industry, and providing improved facilities for local residents.
He will lay the foundation stone for the Silchar–Guwahati Expressway project. The project will span about 166 kilometres and will be built at an estimated cost of around ₹22,000 crore. Once completed, travel time between Silchar and Guwahati is expected to be reduced by about half to approximately 4 to 4.5 hours.
In Silchar, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a flyover project estimated to cost ₹563 crore, which is expected to help reduce traffic congestion in the city. In addition, the foundation stone will be laid for three agricultural colleges in Patharkandi with an estimated cost of ₹122 crore to promote agricultural education and research in the region.
In the railway sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Silchar–Churaibari rail electrification project, which has an estimated cost of about ₹655 crore. The project is expected to make railway services faster and more energy efficient while improving timetable reliability for passengers.
Subheading: National highway and road projects in West Bengal
After the programme in Assam, the Prime Minister will travel to Kolkata, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for projects worth approximately ₹18,680 crore.
These include national highway projects spanning more than 420 kilometres with an estimated cost of about ₹16,990 crore. Several stretches of NH-19 and NH-114 will be developed with the objective of improving road safety and reducing traffic congestion.
During the Kolkata visit, the Prime Minister will address a public rally at Brigade Parade Ground. The rally is being organised as the concluding event of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Parivartan Yatra” and is being viewed as part of preparations for the upcoming assembly elections. From the platform, the Prime Minister may present messages related to development and political perspectives in the state.
