PM Modi to launch development projects worth Rs 830 cr in Bengal’s Singur today

PM Modi will also launch a state-of-the-art electric catamaran in Kolkata to support urban river mobility, eco-tourism and last-mile passenger connectivity along the Hooghly River.

• PM Modi to launch and initiate Rs 830 crore projects in Hooghly
• He will launch a hybrid electric catamaran for river mobility in Kolkata
• New rail lines and Amrit Bharat Express to enhance West Bengal connectivity

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will, on Sunday, inaugurate, lay the foundation stone of and flag off a series of development projects worth over Rs 830 crore in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, as he resumes his two-day visit to the state amid a charged political atmosphere ahead of the assembly elections.

PM Modi, who returned to West Bengal after an overnight stay in Assam, is scheduled to address a public rally at Singur, the site of the abandoned Tata Nano car project, where the BJP is expected to sharpen its pitch on industrialisation and investment in the state.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh, which includes an Inland Water Transport (IWT) terminal and a Road Over Bridge. Spread across nearly 900 acres, the Balagarh project is being developed as a modern cargo-handling terminal with an envisaged capacity of about 2.7 million tonnes per annum. It will feature two dedicated jetties -- one each for containerised and dry bulk cargo.

The project is aimed at improving cargo evacuation efficiency by diverting heavy freight movement away from congested urban areas, thereby easing traffic congestion, enhancing road safety and reducing pollution in Kolkata, the PMO stated. It is also expected to improve multimodal connectivity, provide cost-effective market access to regional industries, MSMEs and agricultural producers, and generate substantial direct and indirect employment.

Furthermore, PM Modi will also launch a state-of-the-art electric catamaran in Kolkata to support urban river mobility, eco-tourism and last-mile passenger connectivity along the Hooghly River. The 50-passenger hybrid electric aluminium catamaran, built indigenously by Cochin Shipyard Ltd, is equipped with advanced electric propulsion systems and lithium-titanate battery technology, enabling zero-emission operations in electric mode and extended endurance in hybrid mode. It is one of six such vessels being built for inland water transport.

In the rail sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Jayrambati–Barogopinathpur–Maynapur new rail line, a key segment of the under-construction Tarkeshwar–Bishnupur rail project. Alongside, a new passenger train service between Maynapur and Jayrambati, with a halt at Barogopinathpur, will be flagged off, providing direct rail connectivity to Bankura district for commuters, students and pilgrims.

PM Modi will also flag off three Amrit Bharat Express trains -- the Howrah–Anand Vihar Terminal, Sealdah-Banaras and Santragachi-Tambaram services -- aimed at strengthening long-distance rail connectivity between West Bengal and other regions.

Notably, the choice of Singur as the venue has strong political symbolism. The area gained national attention nearly two decades ago after protests against land acquisition for the Tata Nano project led to Tata Motors shifting the plant to Gujarat. The BJP has repeatedly cited the episode as a missed industrial opportunity and has promised to revive industrial growth in the state if voted to power.

On Saturday, PM Modi launched multiple rail and road infrastructure projects from Malda and flagged off the first Vande Bharat sleeper train service between Howrah and Guwahati. He also mounted a sharp attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, accusing it of patronising illegal infiltration and allowing a “syndicate raj” to flourish.

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are due in the coming months.