Singur (West Bengal) [India], January 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated, laid the foundation stone of, and flagged off development projects worth more than Rs 830 crore, including the Extended Port Gate System and the Jayrambati-Barogopinathpur-Maynapur rail line at Singur, Hooghly, in West Bengal.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh, including an Inland Water Transport (IWT) terminal and a Road Over Bridge.

According to the PMO, spanning an area of approximately 900 acres, Balagarh is being developed as a modern cargo handling terminal with an envisaged capacity of about 2.7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The project includes the construction of two dedicated cargo handling jetties, one for containerised cargo and one for dry bulk cargo.

The Balagarh project aims to improve cargo evacuation efficiency by diverting heavy cargo movement away from congested urban corridors. This will enhance road safety, reduce vehicular congestion and pollution in Kolkata city, and contribute to an improved quality of life for residents. Improved multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency will also provide cost-effective market access to regional industries, MSMEs, and agricultural producers. The project is expected to generate substantial direct and indirect employment, benefiting local communities through job creation in logistics, terminal operations, transport services, maintenance, and allied activities, a press release said.

Prime Minister Modi also launched a state-of-the-art Electric Catamaran in Kolkata. This is one of the six Electric Catamarans indigenously built for inland water transport by Cochin Shipyard Ltd. The 50-passenger hybrid electric aluminium catamaran, equipped with advanced electric propulsion systems and lithium-titanate battery technology, is capable of operating in fully electric zero-emission mode as well as in hybrid mode for extended endurance. The vessel will support urban river mobility, eco-tourism and last-mile passenger connectivity along the Hooghly River.

PM Modi inaugurated the Jayrambati-Barogopinathpur-Maynapur new rail line. This line is an important part of the Tarkeshwar-Bishnupur new rail line project. Along with the new rail line, a new train service between Maynapur and Jayrambati, with a halt at Barogopinathpur, was also flagged off.

It will provide direct rail connectivity to the residents of Bankura district, making travel more affordable and convenient for daily commuters, students and pilgrims.

Earlier today in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project, covering the 4-laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of National Highway 715, in Kaliabor, Nagaon district. The project is valued at over Rs 6,950 crore.

The Prime Minister also flagged off two New Amrit Bharat Express trains, Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express. (ANI)