During a high-profile visit to Durgapur, West Bengal, on July 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation for development projects worth ₹5,400 crore, spanning the oil and gas, power, railway, and road sectors .

Major highlights include a ₹1,950 cr piped natural gas (PNG) initiative in Bankura and Purulia, the ₹1,190 cr Durgapur–Kolkata natural gas pipeline under the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project, and ₹1,457 cr pollution-control installations at DVC power plants. In the rail sector, a 36 km doubling of the Purulia–Kotshila line (₹390 cr) was inaugurated .

Addressing the rally, PM Modi emphasized that India’s infrastructure transformation underpins its resolve to become a developed nation, stating, “the world is discussing India’s resolve to become a developed nation… infrastructure is a key pillar” . He reinforced the government’s “One Nation, One Gas Grid” initiative aimed at ensuring equitable energy access and boosting industrial growth in eastern India .

This infrastructure momentum is politically timed, ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly polls, where the BJP seeks to position itself as the party delivering tangible progress.