By | Arvind Jadhav
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a significant visit to Bihar and West Bengal on August 22, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple infrastructure and development projects worth over ₹18,200 crore. These projects aim to boost road connectivity, power supply, healthcare facilities, urban development, and metro expansion in the two states, marking a major push towards economic growth and modernization.
In Bihar, the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Gaya at 11 AM, where he will unveil projects worth nearly ₹13,000 crore. Among the major highlights is the Aunta–Simaria Bridge Project on National Highway-31, which includes an 8.15-km-long stretch with a six-lane bridge over the Ganga River costing over ₹1,870 crore. This project is expected to transform road connectivity by reducing the travel distance for heavy vehicles by nearly 100 km, easing congestion, and boosting industrial and agricultural transport in North Bihar.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the four-lane Bakhtiyarpur–Mokama section of NH-31 worth ₹1,900 crore and the Bikramganj–Dawath–Nawanagar–Dumraon section of NH-120, further strengthening road networks in Bihar. The Buxar Thermal Power Plant worth ₹6,880 crore will be dedicated to the nation, significantly increasing Bihar’s electricity generation capacity and ensuring a reliable power supply to industries and households.
Healthcare infrastructure will see a major leap with the inauguration of the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Muzaffarpur, equipped with advanced oncology units, modern ICUs, and diagnostic labs. The hospital will offer affordable cancer treatment not only to Bihar’s population but also to neighboring states, reducing the need for patients to travel to metro cities.
Under the Namami Gange Programme, the Prime Minister will inaugurate a sewerage treatment plant and network at Munger worth over ₹520 crore, aimed at reducing river pollution and improving sanitation. He will also lay the foundation stone for urban infrastructure projects worth ₹1,260 crore, including water supply and sewerage systems across Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Lakhisarai, Bodhgaya, and Jamui.
To enhance railway connectivity, PM Modi will flag off the Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi and the Buddhist Circuit Train connecting Vaishali and Koderma, boosting both passenger convenience and religious tourism. In addition, he will hand over keys to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMAY-Gramin) and PMAY-Urban, ensuring Grih Pravesh for over 16,000 families.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister will visit Kolkata, West Bengal, where he will inaugurate 13.61 km of new metro rail projects including the Noapara–Jai Hind Bimanbandar line, Sealdah–Esplanade line, and the Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section. These metro expansions will drastically cut travel time, improve connectivity to the IT hub and the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, and benefit thousands of daily commuters in the metropolitan region.
PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the six-lane Kona Expressway Project in Howrah worth ₹1,200 crore, a critical road infrastructure initiative that will enhance connectivity between Howrah, Kolkata, and adjoining rural areas. The project is expected to save travel time, ease traffic congestion, and give a significant boost to trade, tourism, and urban mobility.
At a public event, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the new subway at Howrah Metro Station and is scheduled to take a metro ride on the newly opened route to interact with commuters, symbolizing the government’s focus on modern urban transport solutions
