Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a significant two-day visit to Assam, commencing ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Touching down at Tezpur airport, he was warmly greeted by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma expressed his excitement, tweeting, “#ModiParivarAssam is thrilled to welcome our beloved Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji to the land of Maa Kamakhya and Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev.”
During his visit, the Prime Minister is slated to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for numerous development projects valued at Rs.18,000 crore, jointly undertaken by Assam and the central government. Notably, among these projects is the Rs.3,992 crore pipeline initiative connecting Barauni to Guwahati, a historic endeavor enhancing India’s energy security, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Furthermore, Sarma highlighted the inauguration and foundation laying ceremonies for several petroleum projects, including those aimed at augmenting domestic oil refining capacity across Assam, collectively costing Rs.1,555 crore. In a significant stride towards bolstering rail connectivity, Modi is set to dedicate two railway line doubling projects worth Rs.1,328 crore from Dhupdhara to Chhaygaon and from New Bongaigaon to Sorbhog.
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Making use of a special aircraft, Prime Minister Modi proceeded to Panbari in Golaghat via helicopter. From there, he will embark on a 16-km road show to the Assam Police guest house at Kohora range of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), where he will spend the night, as per officials.
On the following day, Modi will visit the Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its one-horned rhinos. This marks a significant occasion, as he becomes the first Prime Minister since 1957 to visit this revered site, as emphasized by Sarma.
Subsequently, in Arunachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister will dedicate the Sela tunnel to the nation, a remarkable feat constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of Rs.825 crore. It stands as the world’s longest twin-lane tunnel built at an altitude exceeding 13,000 feet.
Returning to Jorhat in the afternoon, Modi will inaugurate the 125-ft high ‘Statue of Valour’ of Ahom general Lachit Barphukan. Later, he will inaugurate the 84-feet tall statue of the legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan at Jorhat with a 41-feet tall pedestal. Furthermore, he will address a public rally at Meleng Meteli, inaugurating numerous Central and state government projects.
The Prime Minister is set to deliver new homes to 5,55,555 beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and inaugurate the new Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital. Additionally, he will lay the foundation stone for the Sivasagar Medical College and Hospital, while virtually inaugurating a cancer care unit for children valued at Rs.300 crores.
Emphasizing the scale of achievements, Sarma noted, “PM will join the biggest ever Griha Pravesh celebrations in Bharat when 5.5 lakh proud house owners take possession of their PMAY-G homes built at a cost of Rs.8478 crore. With this, a record 18 lakh #PMAwas houses have been delivered in Assam.” He further added, “PM will dedicate the Tinsukia Medical College and lay the foundation of the Sivasagar Medical College and a Paediatric Oncology Centre in Guwahati, cumulatively costing Rs.1415 crore.”
