Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit West Bengal today (December 20) to inaugurate several projects in the state slated for polls early next year. At around 11 AM, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate national highway projects in Ranaghat, Nadia district. PM Mod will also address the gathering on the occasion.
The visit is significant for next year's elections, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP are sparring over the SIR issue. PM Modi will gift projects worth Rs 3,200 crore to Bengal during his visit.
What's on cards?
The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of two National Highway projects worth approximately Rs 3,200 crore. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the 66.7-km long 4-laning of the Barajaguli – Krishnanagar section of National Highway-34 in Nadia district, West Bengal. He will also lay the foundation stone of the 17.6-km long 4-laning of the Barasat – Barajaguli section of National Highway-34 in North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
These projects will serve as important connectivity routes between Kolkata and Siliguri. These highways will reduce travel time by approximately 2 hours, ensure faster and smoother vehicular movement for uninterrupted traffic, reduce vehicle operating costs, and improve connectivity between Kolkata and other neighboring districts of West Bengal.
PM Modi on Assam visit
From Bengal, PM Modi will reach Assam, where he will lay the foundation and inaugurate projects worth approximately Rs 15,600 crore in the state.
Among major events is the inauguration of the new terminal building of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati.
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The new terminal building, spread over approximately 1.4 lakh square metres, is designed to handle 13 million passengers per year. The new terminal building draws inspiration from the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Assam under the theme "Bamboo Groves".
The Prime Minister will perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project of the Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited at Namrup in Dibrugarh. The project will be constructed with an estimated investment of approximately Rs 10,600 crore.