Singur (Hooghly), 18 January (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated, laid foundation stones for, and flagged off transformative development projects exceeding ₹830 crore in Singur, Hooghly district, emphasizing that for the vision of a developed India, the development of Eastern India remains a priority, and with this goal, the Central Government is continuously working.

Addressing an enthusiastic gathering—following his engagements in Malda the previous day—PM Modi underscored the strategic imperative of Eastern India's advancement, declaring that the Union Government's relentless efforts, exemplified by Saturday and Sunday's initiatives, would lay the groundwork for West Bengal's resurgence.

He highlighted the unprecedented rail momentum: Yesterday, the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train was launched from West Bengal; the state has also received nearly half a dozen new Amrit Bharat Express trains, and today three more Amrit Bharat Express trains have begun operations.

Specifically, he flagged off the Kolkata (Howrah)-Anand Vihar Terminal, Kolkata (Sealdah)-Banaras, and Kolkata (Santragachi)-Tambaram services, noting that the Banaras route would bolster connectivity to his parliamentary constituency while extending benefits to Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

The past 24 hours have been unprecedented for West Bengal’s rail connectivity, he affirmed.Turning to waterways, PM Modi illuminated Bengal's untapped potential, with Union support enhancing port-led infrastructure: A short while ago, projects related to ports and river waterways were also inaugurated and foundation stones laid—these are very important for the development of West Bengal and India.

He envisioned them as pillars on which West Bengal can be developed into a major hub of manufacturing, trade, and logistics, particularly through expansions at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port under Sagarmala, including connectivity roads that propelled record cargo handling last year.

The Prime Minister spotlighted the Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh—encompassing an Inland Water Transport terminal and Road Over Bridge across 900 acres with 2.7 million tonnes per annum capacity, dual jetties for containerized and dry bulk cargo—as a game-changer: The Extended Port Gate System being built in Balagarh will open the doors to new opportunities for Hooghly and the surrounding areas... easing traffic and logistics pressure in Kolkata city... transforming Hooghly into a warehousing and trading hub, bringing hundreds of crores of new investment, generating thousands of jobs, benefiting small traders and transporters, and providing new markets for farmers and producers.

Championing multi-modal connectivity and green mobility, PM Modi articulated a holistic vision: Today, India is placing strong emphasis on multi‑modal connectivity and green mobility; to ensure seamless transportation, ports, river waterways, highways, and airports are all being interconnected... reducing both logistics costs and transportation time.

He heralded the launch of a state-of-the-art Electric Catamaran in Kolkata—one of six indigenously built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd., accommodating 50 passengers with hybrid electric propulsion and lithium-titanate batteries for zero-emission and extended-range operations—to bolster urban river mobility, eco-tourism, and last-mile connectivity along the Hooghly, curbing pollution.

Additional inaugurations included the Jayrambati–Barogopinathpur–Maynapur rail line, part of the Tarkeshwar–Bishnupur project, with a new train service enhancing affordable access for Bankura's commuters, students, and pilgrims.

PM Modi dreamed of West Bengal leading in fisheries and seafood exports, backed by Union aid for waterways that already uplifts farmers and fishermen: All these projects being initiated by the Union Government will accelerate West Bengal’s development journey.

Attendees included West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal, Shantanu Thakur, and Sukanta Majumdar.

These initiatives promise decongested urban corridors, heightened road safety, logistics efficiency for MSMEs and agriculture, and substantial employment in operations and allied sectors, fortifying Bengal's role in India's growth trajectory.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar