PM Modi’s big Assam visit: Rs 47,600 crore projects, new trains and highways an ...
Ahead of the upcoming polls for the state of Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a high-profile two-day visit to state on March 13-14, where he will launch massive infrastructure projects worth more than ₹47,600 crore, officials said on Thursday.According to a report by PTI, as a part of his engagement with the state, the Prime Minister will visit 3 major destinations including Kokrajhar, Guwahati, and Silchar laying the foundation stone for policies across sectors, ranging from high-speed corridors to land rights for tea garden workers.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary begins in Kokrajhar on March 13, where he will lay foundation stones for projects worth ₹4,570 crore. This includes a strategic Periodic Overhauling (POH) Workshop at Bashbari, designed to turn the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) into a vital hub for railway maintenance and regional employment.
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Massive connectivity leap: The 5-hour Silchar goal
The centerpiece of the visit is the Shillong-Silchar Corridor, a ₹22,860 crore greenfield project. As per officials interviewed by ANI, this 166 kmhigh-speed corridor is expected to reduce travel time for travelling from Guwahati to Silchar by 3 hours, taking it from a 8.5 hour journey to a 5 hour trip.
As per the report, the PM is set to perform Bhoomi Pujan ahead of the inauguration of most of the projects during his visit including Asom Mala 3.0, a ₹3,200 crore scheme encompassing 900 km of roads designed to bridge the gap between national highways and rural interior roads.
As a part of his visit, the Prime Minister will also flag off three new train services aimed at improving connectivity in Assam and the North-East region.
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These include the Kamakhya-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express providing direct rail connectivity between the North-East and Southern India; the Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Express enhancing connectivity between Assam and West Bengal.
The last train to be inaugurated will be the Narangi-Agartala Express that will be aimed at improving connectivity between Assam and Tripura and facilitating smoother inter-state travel for passengers, traders and tourists.
Plans to boost social security and energy infrastructure
As a part of his visit, the prime minister is also scheduled to distribute land pattas to tea garden workers in Guwahati. As per officials, providing land pattas tea garden workers is expected to improve housing security, enable better access to institutional credit and welfare schemes, and promote long-term social and economic mobility.
The Prime Minister will also release the 22nd instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme to an estimated9.3 crore farmers across the country, during his visit to Assam under which eligible
On the energy front, the Prime Minister is set to dedicate the ₹2,300 crore Kopili Hydro-Electric Project in Dima Hasao, a 150 MW facility designed to bolster clean power generation, alongside the inauguration of the North East Gas Grid (Phase 1) connecting Guwahati to Numaligarh and Itanagar.
This energy push is further complemented by the capacity expansion of the Numaligarh Refinery from 3 MMTPA to 9 MMTPA via the Numaligarh-Siliguri Product Pipeline.
Railway and waterway upgrades
As a part of his visit to Assam, PM Modi is also set to inaugurated several railway electrification projects, including the 558 km Rangiya-Murkongselek and 571 km Chaparmukh-Dibrugarh lines.
To bolster the ‘act east’ policy through inland waterways, foundation stones will be laid for cruise terminals at Biswanath Ghat and Neamati, alongside a Regional Centre of Excellence for maritime training at Bogibeel.
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