Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kolkata today, and he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth around 18,680 crore rupees. In a major boost to road infrastructure in the region, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several National Highway projects with a combined length of more than 420 kilometres, worth around 16,990 crore rupees.
The projects being inaugurated include sections of NH-19 in West Bengal and Jharkhand and NH-114 in West Bengal. These projects are expected to enhance road safety, reduce travel time, ease congestion and pollution, improve regional connectivity, promote tourism and boost economic growth in the region.
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for several new National Highway projects. These include five packages of the 231-kilometre-long four-lane Kharagpur-Moregram economic corridor section of NH-116A. The project forms part of the economic corridor between Kharagpur and Siliguri and will pass through Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal. Direct Kharagpur-Moregram connectivity will reduce travel distance by around 120 kilometres and save nearly 7 to 8 hours of travel time.
Mr Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the construction of a 5.6-kilometre-long four-lane Dubrajpur Bypass on NH-14, which will help decongest the densely built-up areas of Dubrajpur town and reduce travel time by nearly 1 hour. He will also lay the foundation stone for the construction of additional four-lane major bridges over the Kangshabati and Shilabati rivers on NH-14.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several shipping and port-related projects. He will inaugurate the mechanisation project of Berth No. 2 at Haldia Dock Complex, which will enable efficient, faster and environment-friendly cargo handling. He will also inaugurate the rejuvenation project at Khidderpore Docks (Dock 1 – West).
In the Railways sector, Prime Minister will flag off the Purulia-Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi) Express, strengthening rail connectivity between West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and the national capital region. Prime Minister will also inaugurate six redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Station Scheme. He will also dedicate to the nation two railway projects — the 16 km long third rail line between Belda and Dantan and the Automatic Block Signalling system between Kalaikunda and Kanimohuli. These projects will improve train safety and punctuality, reduce congestion and enhance the overall ease of travel for passengers in the region.
These initiatives reflect the Government’s continued commitment to strengthening infrastructure, enhancing connectivity and accelerating economic growth in West Bengal and eastern India. Prime Minister Modi will also address a political rally organised by the BJP. A large number of people have started coming to Kolkata from all the districts of West Bengal. This marks the beginning of the political campaign of the BJP ahead of the Assembly election in West Bengal. The Election Commission had already held election preparedness meetings in West Bengal a couple of days back in Kolkata.
