Gaya, (Bihar) August 22(HS):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday marked a transformative day for Bihar by inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for an array of monumental projects worth approximately Rs 13,000 crore in Gaya. Accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, Modi energized the city with a vibrant roadshow before launching key infrastructure, transportation, power, and health initiatives designed to drive growth and improve quality of life.

Highlighting enhanced connectivity, PM Modi flagged off two new trains: the Amrit Bharat Express linking Gaya to Delhi, equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, and the Buddhist Circuit Train connecting Vaishali to Koderma, set to invigorate tourism around pivotal Buddhist heritage sites.

On the urban development front, foundation stones were laid under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, including sewage treatment plants and water supply projects across Aurangabad, Bodhgaya, Jehanabad, and more, with a combined investment of Rs 1,260 crore to secure clean water, modern sanitation, and better health standards.

A landmark moment was the inauguration of the Aunta-Simaria bridge on NH-31—an engineering marvel stretching 8.15 km with a 6-lane bridge spanning the Ganga. Costing Rs 1,870 crore, this corridor promises to revolutionize freight and passenger movement by drastically cutting travel distances for heavy vehicles between North and South Bihar, while easing regional traffic congestion. Complementing this, a four-lane expansion of the Bakhtiyarpur-Mokama section of NH-31 worth Rs 1,900 crore also went live, along with upgrades to rural connectivity on NH-120 routes, opening fresh economic opportunities.

Powering Bihar’s future,PM Modi inaugurated the Rs 6,880 crore Buxar Thermal Power Plant (660 MW capacity), a major leap toward energy security to meet skyrocketing demand.

Significantly enhancing healthcare access, the new Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Muzaffarpur was unveiled. This cutting-edge facility offers advanced oncology diagnostics and treatment, including ICU and HDU facilities, providing affordable cancer care and reducing the need for patients to travel to metros.

In a strong environmental stride, PM Modi inaugurated the Rs 520 crore Sewerage Treatment Plant at Munger under the Namami Ganga mission, aimed at curbing Ganga pollution and fostering sanitation sustainability.

Addressing the public, PM Modi criticized the previous ‘lantern rule’ governments, highlighting decades of neglect marked by red terror, unemployment, and mass migration. He lauded Bihar’s crucial role as the nation’s backbone and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing development and law and order, citing the NDA government’s continuous efforts since 2005.

PM Modi also symbolically handed over keys to thousands of rural and urban housing beneficiaries under PMAY schemes, underscoring a vision for inclusive growth.

This ambitious development surge promises to reshape Bihar’s economic landscape, enhance citizen welfare, and restore its historic pride as a vital pillar of India’s progress.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar