Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to WB & Assam from January 17-18, 2026

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi undertook a two-day official visit to West Bengal(WB) and Assam on January 17 to 18, 2026, focusing on infrastructure development, cultural engagement and regional connectivity initiatives across the two states.

Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to WB:

PM in Malda:

Overview:  On January 17 2026, PM Narendra Modi visited Malda to dedicate projects to the nation and lay the foundation stones for multiple rail and road infrastructure initiatives worth Rs.3,250 crore.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: PM Narendra Modi flagged off India’s 1st Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Howrah (WB)and Guwahati (Kamakhya) (Assam) at Malda town railway station, Malda, WB.

• This new fully-air conditioned sleeper train comprises 16 modern coaches with a total capacity of 823 passengers, has been designed to facilitate a modern, comfortable and affordable long-distance travel experience, reducing travel time on this route by around 2.5 hours (hrs).
• In addition to that, he virtually flagged off the Guwahati-Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper.

4 Major Railway Projects: During his visit, PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of 4 major railway projects in WB. These included:

• The new rail line between Balurghat and Hili; next-gen freight maintenance facilities at New Jalpaiguri; Upgradation of the Siliguri Loco Shed; and modernisation of Vande Bharat train maintenance facilities in Jalpaiguri district.
• He also dedicated to the nation, the electrification of the New Coochbehar-Bamanhat rail sections, enabling cleaner and energy-efficient train operations.

Flagging off New Amrit Bharat Trains: He also virtually flagged off 4 new Amrit Bharat Express trains:

• New Jalpaiguri-Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Express;
• New Jalpaiguri-Tiruchirappalli Amrit Bharat Express;
• Alipurduar-Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) Bengaluru Amrit Bharat Express;
• Alipurduar-Mumbai (Panvel) Amrit Bharat Express.

Two New Train Services: He also flagged off two new train services equipped with Link Hofmann-Busch (LHB) coaches: Radhikapur-SMVT Bengaluru Express; and Balurghat-SMVT Bengaluru Express.

Rehabilitation of Dhupguri-Falakata: He laid the foundation stone for the rehabilitation and 4-laning of the Dhupguri-Falakata section of National Highway-31D (NH-31D), a major road project that will enhance regional road connectivity.

PM in Hooghly:

Overview: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated, laid the foundation stone and flagged off several development projects worth over Rs 830 crore at Singur in Hooghly district of WB.

• Out of Rs 830 crore, projects worth Rs 552 crore were launched under ports and inland waterways sector and projects worth Rs 280 crore were launched under the railway infrastructure.

Key Dignitaries: C.V. Ananda Bose, Governor of Assam; Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW); Union Minister of State (MoS) Shantanu Thakur, among others were present at the event.

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

• The new facility spanning an area of nearly 900 acres, is being developed by the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority (SMPA) as a modern cargo handling terminal with projected capacity of about 2.7 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA).
• The terminal integrated with National Waterway-1 (NW-1) (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly) includes  the development of two dedicated cargo handling jetties i.e. one for containerised cargo and one for dry bulk cargo.

Hybrid Electric Aluminium Catamaran: He also launched a 50-passenger hybrid electric aluminium catamaran, developed at a cost of Rs 12 crore, marking a significant milestone in the transition toward green inland water transport.

• The newly launched vessel, developed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), is powered by advanced lithium-titanate battery technology, offering an energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable option for passenger movement on inland waterways in Kolkata, WB.

Jayrambati-Barogopinathpur-Maynapur Rail Line: He inaugurated the 15 kilometer(km)-long Jayrambati-Barogopinathpur-Maynapur new rail line, part of the 83-km Tarakewar-Bishnupur rail project, expected to boost socio-economic development in Bankura district (WB).

• He also flagged off a new passenger train between Jayrambati and Maynapur.

Flagged off 3 Amrit Bharat Trains: He also flagged off 3 Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting Kolkata (WB) with New Delhi, Varanasi (UP) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN):

• Kolkata (Howrah)-Anand Vihar Terminal Amrit Bharat Express;
• Kolkata (Sealdah)-Banaras Amrit Bharat Express;
• Kolkata (Santragachi)-Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express.

Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Assam:

PM in Guwahati:

Attended Bodo Cultural Programme: On January 17, 2026, PM Narendra Modi attended the ‘Bagurumba Dwhou 2026’, a historic cultural event organised to celebrate the rich heritage of the Bodo community at Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati, Assam.

PM in Kaliabor:

Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project: On January 18, 2026, he performed Bhoomi Pujan of the 86 km-long Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project, a major infrastructure initiative  worth over Rs 6,950 crore during an event held in Kaliabor, Assam.

• The project features 4-laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of National Highway (NH-715), and includes around 34.45 km of elevated wildlife corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park (NP), along with 21 km of bypasses at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat and 30 km of NH widening.
• The corridor will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts and is expected to significantly enhance connectivity to Upper Assam, particularly Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
• It aimed to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, improve road safety and ensure uninterrupted traffic flow.

Key Dignitaries: Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Governor of Assam; Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister (CM) of Assam; Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, MoPSW; along with other dignitaries were present at the event.

Flagging Off Two Amrit Bharat Trains: During the event, he virtually flagged off 2 new Amrit Bharat Express trains:

• Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express train will run between Guwahati (Assam) and Rohtak (Haryana) ;
• And, Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express train will run between Dibrugarh (Assam) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, UP).

About Assam:
Chief Minister (CM)- Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor- Lakshman Prasad Acharya
Capital- Dispur
National Parks (NPs)- Kaziranga NP, Manas NP