March 14, 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kolkata on Saturday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth around ₹18,680 crore, focusing largely on road, rail and port infrastructure in eastern India.
A major portion of the investment is aimed at strengthening road connectivity. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and launch several National Highway projects covering more than 420 kilometres, with a total estimated cost of about ₹16,990 crore. Key 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 while supporting tourism and economic activity.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for several new highway projects. Among them are five packages of the 231-kilometre four-lane Kharagpur–Moregram economic corridor section of NH-116A. The corridor is part of the larger Kharagpur-Siliguri economic route and will pass through Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal. Once completed, direct connectivity between Kharagpur and Moregram is expected to reduce travel distance by around 120 kilometres and cut travel time by nearly seven to eight hours.
Another key project includes the construction of a 5.6-kilometre four-lane Dubrajpur bypass on NH-14. The bypass is expected to decongest the busy areas of Dubrajpur town and reduce travel time by about one hour. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for additional four-lane bridges over the Kangshabati and Shilabati rivers on NH-14.
In the shipping and port sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the mechanisation project of Berth No. 2 at Haldia Dock Complex, aimed at improving cargo handling efficiency while ensuring faster and environmentally friendly operations. He will also inaugurate the rejuvenation project at Khidderpore Docks.
In the railway sector, the Prime Minister will flag off the Purulia–Anand Vihar Terminal Express, strengthening rail connectivity between West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and the National Capital Region. He will also inaugurate six redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Station Scheme.
Additionally, two railway infrastructure projects will be dedicated to the nation. These include the 16-kilometre third rail line between Belda and Dantan, and the Automatic Block Signalling system between Kalaikunda and Kanimohuli, which are expected to improve train safety, reduce congestion and enhance punctuality.
Apart from the development programmes, the Prime Minister will also address a political rally organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Large numbers of supporters have reportedly arrived in Kolkata from different districts of West Bengal for the event.
The rally is expected to mark the beginning of the party’s campaign for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Recently, the Election Commission of India also held election preparedness meetings in Kolkata as part of its preparations for the polls.
