Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar and West Bengal on Friday to launch a series of development projects worth over ₹12,000 crore, aimed at strengthening infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic growth in the two states.
PM in Bihar
Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation development projects catering to Rail, Road, Rural Development, Fisheries, Electronics and Information Technology sectors.
In line with his commitment to boost connectivity and infrastructure, Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation multiple rail projects. It includes automatic signalling between Samastipur-Bachhwara rail line that will enable efficient train operations in this section. Doubling of Darbhanga-Thalwara and Samastipur-Rambhadrapur rail line part of Darbhanga-Samastipur doubling project worth over Rs 580 crore that will enhance the capacity of train operations and reduce delays.
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for multiple rail projects. These include the development of infrastructure for the maintenance of Vande Bharat trains at Patliputra, and the installation of automatic signalling on the 114 km Bhatni–Chhapra Gramin rail line to enable streamlined train operations. The upgradation of the traction system in the Bhatni–Chhapra Gramin section will allow higher train speeds by strengthening traction infrastructure and optimising energy efficiency. Additionally, the Darbhanga–Narkatiaganj rail line doubling project, worth around ₹4,080 crore, will increase sectional capacity, enable the operation of more passenger and freight trains, and strengthen connectivity between North Bihar and the rest of the country.
Furthering road connectivity in the region, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Ara bypass of NH-319 and inaugurate the Parariya to Mohania section of NH-319. This corridor, which connects Ara Town to the Golden Quadrilateral, is expected to enhance both passenger and freight transport. He will also inaugurate a two-lane paved shoulder road from Sarwan to Chakai under NH-333C, which serves as a vital link between Bihar and Jharkhand.
In the digital infrastructure sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate a new Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) facility in Darbhanga and a state-of-the-art incubation centre in Patna. These facilities are designed to support the growth of the IT and startup ecosystem in Bihar, promoting software exports and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), several fisheries development projects will also be inaugurated. These projects include the setting up of hatcheries, biofloc units, ornamental fish farming units, and integrated aquaculture infrastructure. The new projects are expected to generate employment and uplift the rural economy through increased fish production and entrepreneurship.
In line with the vision for a modern and accessible railway network, the Prime Minister will flag off four new Amrit Bharat trains connecting key cities such as Patna, Motihari, Darbhanga, and Malda Town with major destinations like New Delhi and Lucknow, enhancing regional and interstate rail connectivity.
Further, the Prime Minister will release ₹400 crore to approximately 61,500 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Bihar under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). He will also hand over keys to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin as part of a Griha Pravesh event for 12,000 families, and release over ₹160 crore to 40,000 beneficiaries of the scheme.
PM in West Bengal
Later in the day, around 3 PM, the Prime Minister will visit Durgapur in West Bengal, where he will launch and dedicate several development projects in Oil and Gas, Power, Road, and Rail sectors, cumulatively worth over ₹5,000 crore.
In a major push to energy infrastructure, he will lay the foundation stone for the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) City Gas Distribution project in Bankura and Purulia districts. The ₹1,950 crore project aims to provide piped natural gas to households and CNG for vehicles, boosting employment and supporting clean energy usage.
He will also dedicate the 132-km Durgapur to Kolkata section of the Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline to the nation. This segment, worth over ₹1,190 crore, is part of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project and will facilitate the supply of natural gas across multiple districts including Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Nadia.
In keeping with the focus on clean energy, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems at Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station under the Damodar Valley Corporation. These pollution control systems, worth over ₹1,457 crore, are expected to improve air quality and support sustainable power generation in the region.
Rail infrastructure in West Bengal will also see enhancement with the inauguration of the doubling of the Purulia-Kotshila rail line, a 36-km stretch worth over ₹390 crore. The project will boost industrial connectivity from Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Dhanbad to Ranchi and Kolkata, improving logistics and reducing transit time.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate two road overbridges at Topsi and Pandabeshwar in Paschim Bardhaman, constructed under the Setu Bharatam programme at a cost of over ₹380 crore. These bridges are expected to ease traffic flow and reduce accidents at railway level crossings.