Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a series of development projects worth over Rs 830 crore in West Bengal on 18 January, 2026.

At a function in Singur, Hooghly district, he inaugurated the Jayrambati-Barogopinathpur-Maynapur rail line and flagged off three Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting Kolkata to New Delhi, Varanasi, and Chennai. The PM emphasised that these Central government projects would accelerate West Bengal’s development and help achieve the goal of a prosperous eastern India.

Additionally, he laid the foundation for the extended port gate system at Balagarh, which includes an inland water transport (IWT) terminal and a road over bridge. The project, spread across 900 acres, aims to enhance cargo handling capacity and improve evacuation efficiency by easing congestion in urban corridors. “All central projects will accelerate the development of West Bengal. The central government is working to meet the goal of a developed eastern India,” PM Modi stated during the event