Kolkata, March 14 Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled connectivity projects worth Rs 18,680 crore in West Bengal on Saturday, and said a new chapter of India's development was being written from the state.
The PM asserted that these projects would give new momentum to West Bengal and eastern India, boosting business and enterprise.
"A new chapter is being written for the development of West Bengal and eastern India from Kolkata... The lives of lakhs of people will be made easier; they will get new opportunities," Modi said after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for the projects at a programme here.
He said these projects would further strengthen eastern India's logistics system.
"These new projects related to roads, rail, and ports are opening up new possibilities for Bengal's modern future," he said.
The PM said that these projects would benefit everyone, including farmers, traders, entrepreneurs, and students.
"New opportunities will also be created in the tourism sector," he added, noting that local enterprise and services would benefit from the projects.
"We are determined to ensure that Bengal, which once showed the way to the rest of India, will once again become a developed state and regain its glory," he said.
Modi said that strong connectivity and modern infrastructure would become the foundation of a developed Bengal.
The PM said that the completion of the Kharagpur-Moregram expressway, for which he laid the foundation stone, would speed up economic activity.
He laid the foundation stone for five sections of the 231 km-long four-lane Kharagpur-Moregram economic corridor, which would reduce the distance by around 120 km and save nearly seven to eight hours.
The road, which is part of the economic corridor between Kharagpur and Siliguri, will pass through Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Murshidabad districts, officials said.
The corridor will integrate key national highways, including NH-16, NH-19, NH-14, and NH-12, thereby strengthening multi-corridor connectivity, they said.
The PM also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a 5.6-km-long four-lane Dubrajpur Bypass and additional four-lane major bridges over the Kangshabati and Shilabati rivers on NH-14.
He inaugurated sections of NH-19 and NH-114, which will enhance road safety, reduce travel time, ease congestion and pollution, improve regional connectivity, and boost tourism and economic growth in the region.
The PM said that a mission has been undertaken to modernise India's railways.
"We are determined to ensure that West Bengal does not lag behind in this mission," Modi said, maintaining that the central government is working to ensure speedy development of the state's railway infrastructure.
He flagged off the Purulia-Anand Vihar Terminal Express and unveiled six railway stations redeveloped under the Amrit Station scheme.
These stations are Kamakhyaguri, Anara, Tamluk, Haldia, Barabhum, and Siuri.
He said that several other stations are also being redeveloped under the Amrit Station scheme.
Modi also dedicated two railway projects to the nation – the 16-km-long third rail line between Belda and Dantan and the automatic block signalling system between Kalaikunda and Kanimohuli in the South Eastern Railway zone.
Stating that port and water transport is as important as road and rail connectivity, the PM said that this sector has, however, been neglected for decades in Bengal.
"But new avenues are opening up today for waterways, trade, and enterprise," Modi said.
Maintaining that Kolkata and Haldia docks have for a long time been major centres for trade in eastern India, he said, new projects have been taken up for modernisation and augmentation of these.
The PM inaugurated the mechanisation of Berth 2 at Haldia Dock Complex, which will enable efficient, faster, and environment-friendly cargo handling, and the rejuvenation project at Khidderpore Docks (Dock 1 - West).
He laid the foundation stones for multiple port infrastructure projects, including the mechanisation of Berth 5 at Haldia Dock Complex and the renovation of the Bascule Bridge in Kolkata.
The PM also laid the foundation for a river cruise terminal and river tourism facility near the Indenture Memorial in the city.
Assembly elections are expected to be held in the state in April.