Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth ₹18,000 crore in Bihar and West Bengal today. The whirlwind tour includes infrastructure boosts, rail enhancements, and key urban upgrades aimed at transforming connectivity and quality of life in the two states.
First stop: Gaya, Bihar. At 11 AM, the Prime Minister will kick off projects worth ₹13,000 crore. Among the highlights is the Aunta-Simaria bridge project on the River Ganga. This 1.86 km-long six-lane marvel, built at ₹1,870 crore, will slash travel distance for heavy vehicles by over 100 km, easing congestion in Mokama and Begusarai.
The four-lane Bakhtiyarpur-Mokama stretch of NH-31, costing ₹1,900 crore, will also be inaugurated, alongside upgrades to the Bikramganj-Dawath-Nawanagar-Dumraon section of NH-120. These improvements promise smoother rural connectivity and faster freight movement.
Power and healthcare get a lift too. The Buxar Thermal Power Plant, a ₹6,880 crore project, will energize the region with its 660 MW capacity. Meanwhile, the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre in Muzaffarpur will bring advanced oncology care closer to patients in Bihar and neighboring states.
Environmental initiatives aren’t left behind. A ₹520 crore sewerage treatment plant in Munger under Namami Gange will tackle pollution in the sacred river. Urban infrastructure projects worth ₹1,260 crore, including water supply systems in Aurangabad and Bodhgaya, will roll out under AMRUT 2.0.
Rail travel gets a double boost. The Amrit Bharat Express (Gaya-Delhi) and Buddhist Circuit Train (Vaishali-Koderma) will be flagged off, linking heritage sites and boosting tourism. Over 16,000 PMAY homes will also see Grih Pravesh ceremonies, marking new beginnings for beneficiaries.
Next, Kolkata takes center stage. At 4:15 PM, PM Modi will inaugurate 13.61 km of new metro routes, including the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar and Sealdah-Esplanade sections. These lines will streamline commutes to the airport and IT hubs, cutting travel time dramatically.
A ₹1,200 crore six-lane elevated Kona Expressway also gets its foundation stone. Stretching 7.2 km, it will bridge Howrah and Kolkata, fueling trade and tourism. With these projects, the government reinforces its focus on infrastructure as a catalyst for growth.