From Kaziranga corridor to Vande Bharat sleeper: PM Modi’s two-day Assam visit packs big projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on January 17 and 18, where he is set to lay the foundation stone for a critical elevated corridor near Kaziranga National Park designed to reduce wildlife casualties during annual floods.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on January 9 that the Rs 6,957 crore, 34-kilometre elevated corridor will bypass Kaziranga between the national park and Bokakhat, addressing a long-standing threat to the region's wildlife. "We lose a lot of wildlife during the flood because of road accidents when the wildlife actually start moving to the hills," Sarma said, explaining the urgent need for the project.

The elevated route is expected to cut travel time between lower Assam and upper Assam by one hour whilst providing a safe passage for animals migrating to higher ground during monsoon flooding.

During his visit, Modi will also flag off India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train, which will operate between Calcutta and Guwahati. The train will depart from Calcutta on January 17, with Modi flagging off two additional trains for Assam passengers on January 18.

The Prime Minister's itinerary includes witnessing a mass performance of Bagarumba, a traditional Bodo dance form, at a stadium in Guwahati on January 17. The cultural showcase will feature between 8,000 and 10,000 artists. "It will be one of the unique performances which will be witnessed by the people on that day," Sarma said.

The elevated corridor project represents a significant infrastructure investment aimed at balancing development needs with wildlife conservation in one of India's most important biodiversity hotspots.