New Delhi, 17 January (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a transformative two-day visit to West Bengal today and tomorrow, heralding a cascade of rail and road infrastructure projects valued at over ₹4,080 crore designed to fortify connectivity across the state and the North-East region.

On Saturday at approximately 12:45 PM, PM Modi will arrive at Malda Town Railway Station to flag off India’s pioneering Vande Bharat Sleeper Train linking Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya), simultaneously launching its reciprocal service virtually. This fully air-conditioned marvel promises an airline-caliber experience at affordable rates, slashing travel time by roughly 2.5 hours on the route while catalyzing religious tourism and long-haul convenience.

At 1:45 PM in Malda, the Prime Minister will dedicate and lay foundation stones for rail and road initiatives exceeding ₹3,250 crore, encompassing four pivotal railway undertakings: the Balurghat-Hili new line, next-generation freight maintenance at New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Loco Shed upgrades, and Vande Bharat maintenance modernization in Jalpaiguri.

Electrification of New Coochbehar-Bamanhat and New Coochbehar-Boxirhat lines will usher in swifter, greener operations, complemented by seven Amrit Bharat trains—including New Jalpaiguri-Nagercoil, New Jalpaiguri-Tiruchirappalli, Alipurduar-SMVT Bengaluru, and Alipurduar-Mumbai (Panvel)—plus LHB-coach services from Radhikapur and Balurghat to Bengaluru, empowering youth, students, and professionals with seamless access to IT hubs.

The Dhupguri-Falakata four-laning of NH-31D will streamline North Bengal logistics.

Shifting to Sunday at 3:00 PM in Singur, Hooghly,PM Modi will unveil projects surpassing ₹830 crore, headlining the Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh—a 900-acre cargo terminal with 2.7 million tonnes per annum capacity, featuring container and dry bulk jetties to decongest Kolkata, bolster MSMEs, agriculture, and employment in logistics.

An indigenously crafted 50-passenger Electric Catamaran from Cochin Shipyard, leveraging lithium-titanate batteries for zero-emission and hybrid versatility, will enhance Hooghly River mobility, eco-tourism, and last-mile links. The Jayrambati-Barogopinathpur-Maynapur rail line, integral to Tarkeshwar-Bishnupur, will spawn a new Maynapur-Jayrambati service, aiding Bankura commuters and pilgrims, alongside three Amrit Bharat expresses: Howrah-Anand Vihar Terminal, Sealdah-Banaras, and Santragachi-Tambaram.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar