PM unveils rail and road projects worth over Rs 3,250 crore in West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a series of rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 3,250 crore in West Bengal, aimed at strengthening connectivity in north Bengal and reinforcing its role as a key gateway to the North-East.

At a public function in Malda town, the Prime Minister virtually flagged off four Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting New Jalpaiguri with Nagercoil and Tiruchirappalli, and Alipurduar with SMVT Bengaluru and Mumbai (Panvel). The services are expected to enhance affordable long-distance rail connectivity and support the mobility needs of common citizens, students, migrant workers and traders.

“These services will strengthen inter-state economic and social linkages, particularly between eastern and southern India, while improving access for the North-East through north Bengal’s key rail junctions,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for four major railway projects in the state, including a new rail line between Balurghat and Hili, next-generation freight maintenance facilities at New Jalpaiguri, upgradation of the Siliguri loco shed, and modernisation of Vande Bharat train maintenance facilities in Jalpaiguri district.

“These projects will strengthen passenger and freight operations, improve logistics efficiency in north Bengal and generate employment opportunities, while easing congestion along critical rail corridors linking the mainland to the North-East,” the statement said.

The Prime Minister further flagged off two train services equipped with LHB coaches to improve connectivity for youth, students and IT professionals from the region to Bengaluru, facilitating labour mobility and access to major employment hubs across states.

In the road sector, Modi laid the foundation stone for the rehabilitation and four-laning of the Dhupguri–Falakata section of National Highway-31D , a key artery for passenger and freight movement in north Bengal, expected to reduce travel time and logistics costs.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister flagged off the country’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town station, marking a significant step in improving overnight rail connectivity between eastern India and the North-East.

“These infrastructure projects will play a vital role in building modern transport networks, boosting trade, facilitating migration for work and education, and deepening inter-state integration across eastern and north-eastern India,” the PMO said.

With the West Bengal Assembly elections due in April–May 2026 , roughly three to four months away, the Prime Minister’s infrastructure push is being seen against the backdrop of an intensifying political campaign in the state.

Following the programme, Modi is scheduled to address a BJP meeting from the same venue as part of the party’s outreach ahead of the polls.

On a two-day visit to eastern India, the Prime Minister is crisscrossing poll-bound West Bengal and Assam, combining infrastructure launches with political engagements as the countdown to the 2026 assembly elections enters a decisive phase.

He will return to West Bengal on Sunday from Assam after an overnight stay in Guwahati, where he is scheduled to attend several official programmes on January 18. On Sunday, Modi will also address a closely watched political meeting in Singur in Hooghly district , a region central to the state’s political history following the anti-land acquisition movement that reshaped West Bengal’s political landscape in 2011.