PM Modi launches transport projects worth over Rs 3,250 cr in Bengal
Flagging off major road and railway projects, including the Vande Bharat Sleeper, the projects aim at improving regional connectivity in the North-East
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday (January 17), virtually flagged off four Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting New Jalpaiguri with Nagercoil and Tiruchirappalli, and Alipurduar with SMVT Bengaluru and Mumbai (Panvel), from north Bengal’s Malda town.
Aimed at accelerating development and strengthening connectivity in West Bengal and the North-East, Modi launched several rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 3,250 crore, on Saturday.
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“This will enhance affordable and reliable long-distance rail connectivity. These services will support the mobility needs of common citizens, students, migrant workers and traders, while strengthening inter-state economic and social linkages,” a statement issued by the PMO stated.
Railway projects
At the function, Modi laid the foundation stone for four major railway projects in the state, including the new rail line between Balurghat and Hili, next-generation freight maintenance facilities at New Jalpaiguri, upgrade of the Siliguri Loco Shed, and modernisation of Vande Bharat train maintenance facilities in Jalpaiguri district.
“These projects will strengthen passenger and freight operations, improve logistics efficiency in north Bengal, and generate employment opportunities in the region,” the statement said.
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The PM also flagged off two train services equipped with LHB coaches to facilitate connectivity for the region’s youth, students, and IT professionals to Bengaluru, a major IT hub of the country.
Earlier, the Prime Minister flagged off the country’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town station.
Road projects
Modi also laid the foundation stone for the rehabilitation and four-laning of the Dhupguri-Falakata section of National Highway-31D, a key project to improve regional road connectivity in north Bengal.
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“These projects will play a vital role in building modern infrastructure creation and improved connectivity, strengthening the Eastern and North-Eastern regions as key growth engines of the nation,” the statement said.
Election campaigns
Following the programme, Modi is scheduled to address a BJP meeting from the same venue to accelerate the party's push for the upcoming state elections.
On a two-day visit to eastern India, Modi will crisscross poll-bound Bengal and Assam, blending high-voltage political messaging with a clutch of infrastructure launches as the countdown to the 2026 assembly elections enters its decisive phase.
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He is scheduled to return to the state on Sunday (January 18) from Assam, following his overnight stay in Guwahati. He is scheduled to spearhead a host of scheduled events in the north-eastern state on the morning of January 18.
On Sunday, the PM will address a keenly monitored political meeting from Singur in Hooghly district, the epicentre of the anti-land acquisition movement that propelled TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to power in 2011 and reshaped the state’s political landscape.
(With agency inputs)