New Delhi, March 12 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on Saturday, during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of multiple development projects worth around Rs 18,680 crore in Kolkata.
An official statement said that these initiatives "reflect the Central government's continued commitment to strengthening infrastructure, enhancing connectivity, and accelerating economic growth in West Bengal and eastern India".
According to the statement, the prime minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth around Rs 18,680 crore in Kolkata around 2 pm on March 14.
He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several national highway projects with a combined length of more than 420 km, worth around Rs 16,990 crore, which would give a major boost to road infrastructure in the region.
The projects being inaugurated include sections of NH-19 in West Bengal and Jharkhand, and of NH-114 in West Bengal.
These projects are expected to enhance road safety, reduce travel time, ease congestion and pollution, improve regional connectivity, and promote tourism and boost economic growth in the region, the statement said.
Modi will lay the foundation stone for several new national highway projects.
The project forms part of the economic corridor between Kharagpur and Siliguri and will pass through the districts of Paschim Medinipur, Birbhum, Bankura, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Murshidabad in West Bengal.
Direct connectivity between Kharagpur and Morgram will reduce travel distance by around 120 km and save nearly seven to eight hours of travel time. The corridor will also integrate with key national highways, including NH-16, NH-19, NH-14, and NH-12, thereby strengthening multi-corridor connectivity.
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 mechanization project of Berth number two at Haldia Dock Complex, which will enable efficient, faster, and environment-friendly cargo handling.
The project will enhance cargo handling capacity, facilitate efficient full-rake rail loading systems, improve key performance indicators, increase safety by reducing human exposure to hazardous operations, and generate employment.
Modi will also inaugurate the rejuvenation project at the Khidderpore Docks in Kolkata.
Other projects include the renovation of the Bascule Bridge at the Kolkata Dock System; yard development, including drainage systems, at Kidderpore Dock-I (East) and Dock-II (East); bank protection works along the Kolkata riverfront from the Howrah Bridge pylon to Nimtala Ghat, among others.
In the railways sector, the prime minister will flag off the Purulia-Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi) Express, strengthening rail connectivity among West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and the National Capital Region.
During the visit, Modi will also inaugurate six redeveloped railway stations – Kamakhyaguri, Anara, Tamluk, Haldia, Barabhum, and Siuri – 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.
