Modi will inaugurate the four-lane Bakhtiyarpur to Mokama section of NH-31, worth around Rs.1,900 crores, which will ease congestion, reduce travel time and enhance passenger and freight movement.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar’s Gaya on Friday to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth around Rs.13,000 crores. Later in the day, the Prime Minister will flag off Metro train services on the newly constructed sections in Kolkata and will unveil multiple development projects worth over Rs.5,200 crores. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Mr Modi will address the rallies in both Gaya and Kolkata during his visit.
Briefing about the Prime Minister's visit to Bihar, the PMO said Mr Modi will inaugurate the 8.15 km long Aunta–Simaria bridge project on NH-31, including the 1.86 km long six-lane bridge on the river Ganga, constructed at a cost of over Rs.1,870 crores. It will provide direct connectivity between Mokama and Begusarai. The bridge has been constructed parallel to an old two-lane dilapidated rail-cum-road bridge Rajendra Setu, which is in poor condition, forcing heavy vehicles to reroute.
“The new bridge will reduce this extra travel distance of more than 100 km for the heavy vehicles travelling between north Bihar (Begusarai, Supaul, Madhubani, Purnea, Araria, etc.) and south Bihar areas (Sheikhpura, Nawada, Lakhisarai, etc.). It will also help reduce issues of traffic jams in other parts of the region due to the detour which these vehicles were forced to take,” the PMO said.
The infrastructure projects will boost economic growth in the adjoining areas, especially in north Bihar. It will also provide better connectivity to the famous pilgrimage place of Simaria Dham, which is also the birthplace of the famous late poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the four-lane Bakhtiyarpur to Mokama section of NH-31, worth around Rs.1,900 crores, which will ease congestion, reduce travel time and enhance passenger and freight movement. Further, improvement to the two-lane with paved shoulders of the Bikramganj–Dawath–Nawanagar–Dumraon section of NH-120 in Bihar will improve connectivity in rural areas, providing new economic opportunities for the local population.
Strengthening the power sector infrastructure in Bihar, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Buxar thermal power plant worth around `6,880 crores. It will significantly enhance power generation capacity, improve energy security and meet the growing electricity demand of the region.
In a major boost to health infrastructure, Mr Modi will inaugurate the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Muzaffarpur.
Furthering the vision of "Swachh Bharat" and ensuring the "aviral and nirmal dhara" of river Ganga, Mr Modi will also inaugurate the sewerage treatment plant (STP) and sewerage network at Munger, constructed under Namami Gange, worth over `520 crores. It will help reduce pollution load in the Ganga and improve sanitation facilities in the region.
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a series of urban infrastructure projects worth around `1,260 crores in Bihar.
In a boost to rail connectivity in the region, Mr Modi will flag off two trains. Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi, which will improve passenger convenience with modern facilities, comfort and safety. He will also flag off the Buddhist Circuit train between Vaishali and Koderma, which will give a boost to tourism and religious travel across key Buddhist sites in the region.
A grih pravesh ceremony of 12,000 rural beneficiaries under PMAY-Gramin and 4,260 beneficiaries under PMAY-Urban will also take place with the symbolic handing over of keys to a few beneficiaries by the Prime Minister, thus fulfilling the dream of owning a house for thousands of families.
Later in the day, during his visit to West Bengal, Mr Modi will inaugurate a 13.61 km long newly constructed metro network and services will be launched on these routes. He will visit the Jessore Road Metro station, where he will flag off the Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar Metro service from Jessore Road.
In addition, through video conferencing, the PM will also flag off the Sealdah–Esplanade and the Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro services. He will also undertake a Metro ride from Jessore Road Metro Station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar and back.
At the public function, the Prime Minister will inaugurate these Metro sections and a newly constructed subway at Howrah Metro station. The Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar Metro service will significantly improve the access to the airport. The Sealdah–Esplanade Metro will reduce the travel time between the two points from nearly 40 minutes to only 11 minutes.
In a boost to road infrastructure in the region, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the 7.2 km long six-lane elevated Kona Expressway, worth over Rs.1,200 crores.
