PM lays foundation stones, launches projects worth over Rs 5K cr in Bengal

Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stones of several projects in Bengal and also inaugurated multiple development projects worth over Rs 5,000 crore from a programme in Durgapur which includes oil and gas, power, road and rail development projects.

The Prime Minister inaugurated Pollution Control System-Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) of Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station of Damodar Valley Corporation, worth over Rs 1,457 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (BPCL) City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Bankura and Purulia district worth around Rs 1,950 crore. This project will provide Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to households, commercial establishments and industrial customers and provide CNG at the retail outlets.

The Prime Minister also launched the Durgapur to Kolkata section of Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline, which has been laid as a part of Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga (PMUG) Project worth over Rs 1,190 crore.

The project will pass through the districts of East Burdwan, Hooghly and Nadia.

Modi claimed that the natural gas pipeline provided direct and indirect employment during its implementation phase and will now facilitate supply of natural gas to lakhs of households in the region.

Among the new projects, Modi announced the doubling of Purulia-Kotshila Rail Line (36 km) in Purulia worth over Rs 390 crore. It was claimed that the project will improve rail connectivity between industries from Jamshedpur, Bokaro and Dhanbad with Ranchi and Kolkata and efficient movement of goods trains, reducing travel time and improving logistics for industries and businesses.

In a further development of railway infrastructure, two road over bridges (ROBs) came up under Setu Bharatam Programme and were also inaugurated by the Prime Minister from Durgapur. The projects worth over Rs 380 crore came up at Topsi and Pandabeshwar in West Burdwan.