Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate, and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects valued at over Rs 5,000 crore during a visit to Durgapur in West Bengal, a government statement said on Thursday.
The projects span key sectors including oil and gas, power, road, and rail infrastructure, and are aimed at boosting connectivity, clean energy, and industrial development in the eastern Indian state. As part of the visit, Modi will launch Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd’s City Gas Distribution (CGD) project for Bankura and Purulia districts. The Rs 1,950 crore project will supply piped natural gas (PNG) to households, commercial, and industrial units, and compressed natural gas (CNG) to transport networks. The initiative is expected to generate employment and improve clean fuel access in the region.
The Prime Minister will also dedicate the Durgapur–Kolkata section of the Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline to the nation. The 132-km stretch, developed under the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project, cost more than Rs 1,190 crore and runs through the districts of Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Nadia. It aims to deliver natural gas to thousands of homes and industries, creating jobs during both construction and operational phases.
In a push for cleaner energy, Modi will dedicate Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems at the Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station, developed by Damodar Valley Corporation. The pollution control systems, valued at over Rs 1,457 crore, are expected to reduce sulphur emissions and contribute to air quality improvement in the region.
On the rail front, the doubling of the 36-km Purulia–Kotshila rail line in Purulia district, built at a cost of Rs 390 crore, will also be inaugurated. The project is aimed at enhancing connectivity between key industrial hubs including Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Dhanbad with Ranchi and Kolkata, enabling smoother freight movement.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will inaugurate two road over bridges (ROBs) at Topsi and Pandabeshwar in Paschim Bardhaman district. The ROBs, constructed under the Setu Bharatam programme at a combined cost of Rs 380 crore, are expected to decongest traffic and enhance safety by replacing railway level crossings.
The visit underscores the government’s focus on infrastructure-led growth and regional development in eastern India.
