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PM Modi Inaugurates ₹18,000 Crore Development Projects in Bihar & West Bengal, Including Asia’s Widest Ganga Bridge and Kolkata Metro Expansions.

National | Dated: 26 Aug 2025

On 22 August 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-state visit—first to Bihar’s Gaya, and then to Kolkata—where he launched infrastructure and public service development projects worth over ₹18,000 crore, reinforcing connectivity, urban mobility, and public welfare.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - In Gaya, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation for development schemes valued at around ₹13,000 crore—including a cancer hospital, power plant, and urban improvements. He also flagged off two new trains and unveiled the monumental Aunta–Simaria six-lane cable-stayed bridge over the Ganga, enhancing connectivity between Mokama, Begusarai, and Patna by reducing detour distances over 100 km.
  • - The Aunta–Simaria Bridge, officially known as the Barauni–Mokama Six Lane Ganga Bridge, spans 8.15 km including approaches (1.86 km cable-stayed section) and is Asia’s 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 ₹5,200 crore. He inaugurated multiple new metro sections and undertook a ride from Jessore Road to Jai Hind Airport. These expansions—featuring Sealdah–Esplanade and Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay corridors—enhance multimodal connectivity, reduce congestion, and strengthen public transport infrastructure.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) With total development value crossing ₹18,000 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 upgrades—amplifying the government’s “ease of living” 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 ‘Viksit Bharat’ and government schemes, while in Bengal, he indirectly criticized the state’s ruling leadership and highlighted rapid metro expansion as evidence of central support for infrastructure growth.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

During his recent visit to Bihar on 22 August 2025, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Asia’s widest bridge over which river?

Correct Answer: Ganga River

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Bihar

  • Chief minister: Nitish Kumar
  • Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan