PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone for Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, Flags Off Two Amrit Bharat Express Trains in Assam

PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone for Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, Flags Off Two Amrit Bharat Express Trains in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project in Kaliabor, located in Assam’s Nagaon district, marking a major push to infrastructure development in the Northeast. The ambitious project, valued at over ₹6,950 crore, involves four-laning the Kaliabor–Numaligarh stretch of National Highway 715.

During the visit, the Prime Minister also flagged off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains — the Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Rohtak service and the Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) service — further strengthening rail connectivity between Assam and northern India.

Spanning 86 kilometres, the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor has been designed as an environmentally sensitive highway project. A key feature is the 35-km elevated wildlife corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park, aimed at ensuring the free movement of animals while minimising human-wildlife conflict. The project also includes a 21-km bypass and the widening of a 30-km stretch of the existing NH-715 from two to four lanes.

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Officials said the corridor would significantly improve connectivity to Upper Assam, including major centres such as Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, while also enhancing road safety, cutting travel time and reducing accident rates. The project will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts.

To ease congestion and improve urban mobility, bypasses will be developed at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat, a move expected to improve the quality of life for residents in these towns.

Prime Minister Modi also reviewed a detailed model of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, underscoring the government’s focus on balancing development with ecological preservation.

Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma noted the large turnout ahead of the Prime Minister’s arrival, calling it a reflection of public enthusiasm. In a post on X, he wrote that people continued to gather in large numbers in Kaliabor, describing the support for the Prime Minister as “unparalleled.”

BJP MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa said the Prime Minister’s visit carried significance beyond politics. Speaking to ANI, he said the foundation stone-laying ceremony would send a strong message globally, emphasising that the visit was centred on development and not election considerations. He added that the Prime Minister’s frequent visits to Assam reflected his longstanding commitment to the state’s growth.