PM Modi Inaugurates ā¹18,000 Crore Development Projects in Bihar & West Bengal, Including Asiaās Widest Ganga Bridge and Kolkata Metro Expansions.
National
On 22 August 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-state visitāfirst to Biharās Gaya, and then to Kolkataāwhere he launched infrastructure and public service development projects worth over ā¹18,000 crore, reinforcing connectivity, urban mobility, and public welfare.
- In Gaya, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation for development schemes valued at around ā¹13,000 croreāincluding a cancer hospital, power plant, and urban improvements. He also flagged off two new trains and unveiled the monumental AuntaāSimaria six-lane cable-stayed bridge over the Ganga, enhancing connectivity between Mokama, Begusarai, and Patna by reducing detour distances over 100 km.
- The AuntaāSimaria Bridge, officially known as the BarauniāMokama Six Lane Ganga Bridge, spans 8.15 km including approaches (1.86 km cable-stayed section) and is Asiaās widest bridge. The structure features three lanes per direction and pedestrian paths, facilitating seamless movement between North and South Bihar and marking a major engineering achievement.
- In the afternoon, PM Modi arrived in Kolkata for metro inaugurations worth over ā¹5,200 crore. He inaugurated multiple new metro sections and undertook a ride from Jessore Road to Jai Hind Airport. These expansionsāfeaturing SealdahāEsplanade and BeleghataāHemanta Mukhopadhyay corridorsāenhance multimodal connectivity, reduce congestion, and strengthen public transport infrastructure.
Main Point :- (i) With total development value crossing ā¹18,000 crore across both states, PM Modi highlighted integrated infrastructure as a key growth enabler. The multi-state visit combines hard infrastructure with public services, healthcare, and transit upgradesāamplifying the governmentās āease of livingā agenda amid impending assembly elections.
(ii) At both venues, PM Modi addressed public gatherings, urging citizens to support development-centric governance. In Bihar, he emphasized the importance of āViksit Bharatā and government schemes, while in Bengal, he indirectly criticized the stateās ruling leadership and highlighted rapid metro expansion as evidence of central support for infrastructure growth.
Chief minister: Nitish Kumar
Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
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