PM Modi launches ₹5,400 cr projects in Durgapur, focus on gas, rail, power, jobs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple projects worth ₹5,400 crore during a public programme in Durgapur, West Bengal on July 18. The projects span key sectors including oil and gas, electricity, and railways. According to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, these initiatives are aimed at accelerating infrastructure development in the state and generating employment opportunities.

The Prime Minister announced the City Gas Distribution (CGD) project by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited for Bankura and Purulia districts, with an estimated investment of ₹1,950 crore. He also launched the Durgapur to Kolkata section (132 km) of the Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline. This segment is part of the ongoing Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Project, which aims to extend piped natural gas supply across eastern India.

Modi laid the foundation stone for pollution control systems at two major thermal power plants: Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and the Raghunathpur unit under Damodar Valley Corporation. The combined project cost is ₹1,457 crore. These upgrades are focused on implementing advanced emission control technologies at the plants to meet environmental standards.

In the railway sector, the Prime Minister launched the ₹390 crore Purulia–Kolkata railway line doubling project, covering 36 kilometres. The project is designed to improve connectivity between Purulia and Kolkata and enhance freight and passenger movement across industrial regions including Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Dhanbad. Modi stated that Kolkata Metro expansion and widespread gas pipeline connections are progressing, with 25–30 lakh households now linked to piped gas.