Koliabor (Assam): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the Rs 6,957-crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor and virtually flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains at Kaliabor in Assam’s Nagaon district.
The Prime Minister arrived from Guwahati on the final leg of his two-day visit to the state and performed the ‘Bhoomi Poojan’ for the major infrastructure project.
He also reviewed a model of the proposed corridor.
Officials said the elevated corridor is aimed at ensuring safe movement of wildlife across the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, reducing road accidents along National Highway-715, and promoting ecotourism, while generating employment opportunities for local residents.
The project is part of the four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh stretch of NH-715 and includes about 34.45 km of elevated, wildlife-friendly corridors, along with bypasses at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat.
Modi also virtually flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains running between Dibrugarh and Gomti Nagar in Lucknow, and between Kamakhya and Rohtak.
The new services are expected to improve long-distance rail connectivity between Assam and several states, including West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana, while offering reduced travel time and modern passenger amenities.
Earlier, the Prime Minister said the Kaziranga elevated corridor would help safeguard wildlife, particularly during the monsoon season, and that the new train services would significantly enhance connectivity for the people of Assam.
