Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on March 14, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth around ₹18,680 crore in Kolkata.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the projects span several sectors including road infrastructure, railways, port development and shipping, aimed at strengthening connectivity and boosting economic growth in eastern India.
Major highway projects
In a major push to road infrastructure, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several National Highway projects with a combined length of more than 420 kilometres, valued at around ₹16,990 crore.
The projects include sections of NH-19 in West Bengal and Jharkhand, and NH-114 in West Bengal. These initiatives are expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time, ease congestion and pollution, and enhance regional connectivity.
PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for five packages of the 231-km-long four-lane Kharagpur-Moregram economic corridor section of NH-116A. The corridor will pass through districts including Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad. Once completed, the project is expected to reduce travel distance by about 120 km and cut travel time by nearly seven to eight hours.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the construction of a 5.6 km-long four-lane Dubrajpur Bypass on NH-14, aimed at decongesting the busy areas of Dubrajpur town and reducing travel time. New four-lane bridges over the Kangshabati and Shilabati rivers on NH-14 will also be taken up.
Port and shipping infrastructure
During the visit, PM Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several port and shipping projects.
He will inaugurate the mechanisation project of Berth No. 2 at the Haldia Dock Complex, which is expected to improve cargo handling efficiency and safety while increasing the port’s capacity.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate a rejuvenation project at Khidderpore Docks (Dock 1 – West) and lay the foundation stone for the mechanisation of Berth No. 5 at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.
Other projects include renovation of the Bascule Bridge at the Kolkata Dock System, yard development works at Kidderpore Dock, riverbank protection works along the Kolkata riverfront and construction of a terminal building for a river cruise terminal near the Indenture Memorial complex to promote river tourism.
Rail connectivity and station redevelopment
In the rail sector, the Prime Minister will flag off the Purulia–Anand Vihar Terminal Express, enhancing rail connectivity between West Bengal and the national capital region, while also benefiting states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
He will also inaugurate six redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. These stations include Kamakhyaguri, Anara, Tamluk, Haldia, Barabhum and Siuri.
Additionally, two railway infrastructure projects will be dedicated to the nation: the 16-km third rail line between Belda and Dantan, and the Automatic Block Signalling system between Kalaikunda and Kanimohuli. These projects are expected to improve train safety, reduce congestion and enhance travel convenience for passengers.
The PMO said the initiatives reflect the government’s continued focus on strengthening infrastructure, improving connectivity and accelerating economic development in West Bengal and the eastern region.
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