PM Modi to visit Assam on Feb 14; inaugurate, flag off projects worth Rs 5,450 crore
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on Saturday (Feb 14) to inaugurate and flag off development projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore, aimed at strengthening connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education and urban mobility across the North-East.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the visit will begin at around 10:30 am with the Prime Minister landing at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh. He will witness an aerial display by fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters.
The ELF is the first such facility in the North-East and has been developed in coordination with the Indian Air Force. Designed as dual-use infrastructure, it can support the landing and take-off of both military and civilian aircraft during emergencies.
Capable of handling fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight, the facility will “serve as a critical asset for emergency response, enabling quick deployment of rescue and relief operations during natural disasters or strategic requirements in the Northeast.”
At around 1 pm, PM Modi will inspect the newly constructed Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra. Built at a cost of approximately Rs 3,030 crore, the six-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first of its kind in the North-East.
The bridge is expected to reduce travel time between the two banks to just seven minutes. Given the region’s high seismic vulnerability, the structure incorporates advanced base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings. High-performance stay cables have been deployed to enhance durability and long-term structural integrity.
A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been installed for real-time condition assessment, early detection of structural stress and improved safety.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the National Data Centre for the North-Eastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district. With a total sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW, the facility will “host mission-critical government applications and function as a Disaster Recovery centre for other National Data Centres.”
“Aligned with the vision of Digital India, National Data Centre for North Eastern Region has been envisaged as a strategic intervention to strengthen the region’s ICT backbone and ensure robust, secure and always-available digital infrastructure,” the PMO said in a statement.
During the visit, PM Modi will also inaugurate the Indian Institute of Management Guwahati, marking a significant addition to higher and management education infrastructure in the North-East.
Additionally, PM Modi will flag off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme. Of these, 100 buses will operate in Guwahati, while 50 each will serve Nagpur and Bhavnagar, and 25 will be deployed in Chandigarh.
“With the launch of e-bus operations under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in these four cities, more than 50 lakh citizens are expected to benefit through access to clean, affordable and reliable public transport services, contributing to improved urban mobility and enhanced quality of life,” the PMO said.
