Assam to get three new train services in two days of PM Modi’s visit: Assam CM

Guwahati, Jan 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Assam on a two-day programme beginning January 17, with a packed itinerary that blends culture, infrastructure and connectivity.

Briefing the press after a Cabinet meeting in Guwahati on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the proposed visit and its schedule were discussed “at length” by the council of ministers.

The Prime Minister is expected to arrive in Guwahati on the evening of January 17 and attend a mega Bagurumba dance performance at Sarusajai Stadium, featuring 8,000 to 10,000 artistes.

After staying overnight at State Guest House No. 1, Modi will travel to Kaliabor in Nagaon district the next day to address a public rally at Mouchanda field, Sarma said.

A key highlight of the visit will be the foundation-laying of a 34.5-km elevated corridor from Kaliabor to Bokakhat, passing through the Kaziranga National Park.

Sarma said the Union Cabinet has approved Rs 6,957 crore for the project, calling it the largest infrastructure investment of its kind in Assam.

Land acquisition for the corridor has already been completed by the state government, while the tender process by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is in its final stages, he added.

Once completed, the elevated corridor is expected to significantly reduce wildlife fatalities caused by vehicle movement, particularly during the annual floods in Kaziranga, when animals frequently cross highways in search of higher ground.

Sarma said the project would also drastically improve travel time for commuters moving between Guwahati and Upper Assam, including Jorhat and Sivasagar.

“At present, vehicles take around 1 hour and 15 minutes to cross the Kaziranga stretch due to speed restrictions. The elevated corridor will allow this distance to be covered in just 20 minutes,” Sarma said.

He added that the existing road through the national park will remain open, giving travellers the choice of routes.

The Prime Minister will also flag off two new train services from Kaliabor.

“One connecting Dibrugarh and Gomti and another between Guwahati and Rohtak,” said Sarma. In addition, he said Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Kolkata and Guwahati from a neighbouring state on January 17.

“Effectively, Assam will be getting three new train services in two days,” the Chief Minister said.

Apart from reviewing major infrastructure projects, the state Cabinet also cleared several administrative decisions.

Sarma said the council approved the allocation of one bigha of land in Guwahati to the Bodo Sahitya Sabha for a multi-purpose project. The Cabinet also gave the nod to land allotments for several applicants under Mission Basundhara 2.0, he added.

PTI