PM Modi to Visit West Bengal and Assam on Jan 17-18, to Inaugurate Major Rail and Road Projects

New Delhi, Jan 16 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal and Assam on January 17-18, ahead of Assembly elections in the two states scheduled for April-May. During the two day tour, he is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation for several major rail, road, and inland water transport projects worth over Rs 10,000 crore, aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and accelerating development in Eastern and Northeastern India.

West Bengal: Rail, Road, and Urban Mobility Boost
On January 17, the Prime Minister will arrive in Malda and flag off India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train connecting Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town Railway Station. He will also dedicate and lay the foundation stone for multiple infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 3,250 crore, including:

Four new rail projects: Balurghat–Hili rail line, next-generation freight maintenance facilities at New Jalpaiguri, upgradation of Siliguri Loco Shed, and modernization of Vande Bharat train maintenance in Jalpaiguri district.

Electrification of New Coochbehar–Bamanhat and New Coochbehar–Boxirhat rail lines.

Foundation for rehabilitation and four-laning of Dhupguri–Falakata section of NH-31D.

Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh, including Inland Water Transport terminal and Road Over Bridge.

Launch of a state of the art electric catamaran in Kolkata for urban river mobility.

The PM will also virtually flag off four new Amrit Bharat Express trains and two new LHB coach services connecting North Bengal with major IT and employment hubs such as Bengaluru, enhancing long-distance travel options for students and professionals.

On January 18, in Hooghly district, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 830 crore, including the Jayrambati–Barogopinathpur–Maynapur new rail line and a new train service connecting Bankura district towns. Additionally, he will flag off three Amrit Bharat Express trains linking Kolkata with Anand Vihar, Banaras, and Tambaram.

Assam: Enhancing Connectivity and Preserving Wildlife
In Assam, the Prime Minister will attend the historic Bagurumba Dwhou 2026 cultural programme in Guwahati, showcasing the Bodo community’s heritage with over 10,000 artists from 23 districts performing the Bagurumba dance.

On January 18, Modi will perform the Bhoomi Pujan for the 86 km Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project, a Rs 6,950 crore environmentally conscious highway development including a 35 km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park, 21 km bypasses, and 30 km highway widening. The project will improve connectivity to Upper Assam while safeguarding biodiversity.

He will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting Guwahati (Kamakhya) to Rohtak and Dibrugarh to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), further strengthening rail connectivity between the Northeast and Northern India.

The Prime Minister’s visit underscores the government’s focus on infrastructure-led development, regional connectivity, and eco-friendly transport solutions in poll-bound states