Delhi, 20 August(HS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-state visit to Bihar and West Bengal on August 22, where he will dedicate and launch development projects worth over Rs 18,000 crore across sectors such as power, roads, railways, health, urban infrastructure, and water supply.

Mega Push for Bihar’s Growth

At Gaya, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth Rs 13,000 crore.

Connectivity Boost:

He will dedicate the landmark 8.15 km Aunta–Simaria bridge over River Ganga on NH-31, including a 1.86 km six-lane bridge, built at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore. The new structure, parallel to the ageing Rajendra Setu, will save heavy vehicles over 100 km of detour, ease congestion, and accelerate regional economic growth.

Highway Projects:

The four-lane Bakhtiyarpur–Mokama section on NH-31 (Rs 1,900 crore) and upgrades on NH-120 will be inaugurated, improving passenger and freight movement.

Power & Health Infra:

The Buxar Thermal Power Plant (660x1 MW), built at a cost of Rs 6,880 crore, will be dedicated, along with the opening of the state-of-the-art Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre in Muzaffarpur.

Clean Ganga Mission:

A new STP and sewerage network at Munger (Rs 520 crore) will be inaugurated, along with foundation stones for similar projects in other towns.

Water Supply & Housing: Foundation stones for water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0 will be laid, while Grih Pravesh will be performed for over 16,000 PMAY beneficiaries.

Railways:

PM Modi will flag off two new trains — the Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi and a Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma, promoting tourism and connectivity.

Kolkata Gets Metro & Expressway Upgrades

Later, the Prime Minister will arrive in Kolkata to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for projects worth Rs 5,200 crore.

Metro Expansion: He will launch 13.61 km of new metro sections — from Noapara to Jai Hind Bimanbandar, Sealdah–Esplanade, and Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay — bringing down travel times drastically and strengthening citywide connectivity. He will also undertake a metro ride himself.

Road Infra:PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of the 7.2 km six-lane Kona Expressway worth over Rs 1,200 crore, which will reduce travel time between Howrah and Kolkata and give a fillip to trade, commerce, and tourism.

With this twin-state visit, the Prime Minister is set to give a major infrastructure and connectivity boost to Eastern India, aiming at improving mobility, strengthening the economy, and enhancing quality of life for millions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar