- PM performs Bhoomi Pujan for the 35-km elevated wildlife corridor to protect rhinos and tigers.
- Declares 2025 a historic year with “zero rhino poaching” incidents in Assam.
- Flags off Vande Bharat Sleeper (Guwahati-Kolkata) and two Amrit Bharat Express trains.
- Accuses opposition of using “infiltrators as vote banks” and neglecting the Northeast.
GG News Bureau
Kaliabor, 18th Jan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday performed the Bhoomi Pujan for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project, a critical infrastructure initiative worth over ₹6,950 crore designed to resolve the decades-old conflict between highway traffic and wildlife movement.
Addressing a massive gathering in Kaliabor, the Prime Minister described the project as a vindication of his government’s philosophy that ecology and economy can advance together. The project involves the 4-laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-715, featuring a 35-kilometer elevated corridor. This design ensures that vehicles pass overhead while rhinos, elephants, and tigers can move freely below, particularly during the flood season when they seek higher ground.
“Kaziranga is not just a National Park; it is the soul of Assam and a priceless jewel of India’s biodiversity,” PM Modi stated. “For long, it was believed that nature and progress stood in opposition. Today, India is demonstrating to the world that both can advance together.”
Conservation Milestone In a significant revelation, the Prime Minister announced that Assam recorded “zero rhino poaching” incidents in 2025. He contrasted this with the situation in 2013-14, when dozens of rhinos were killed annually, and credited the turnaround to the state government’s strong political will and the “Van Durga” women forest guard units. He noted that the restoration of peace and wildlife has directly boosted tourism and local livelihoods.
Rail Connectivity Boost
The Prime Minister also utilized the event to launch major railway projects, flagging off the Vande Bharat Sleeper train connecting Guwahati to Kolkata and two Amrit Bharat Express trains linking Assam to West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Highlighting the shift in priorities, he pointed out that the rail budget for Assam has risen from ₹2,000 crore under previous regimes to nearly ₹10,000 crore annually today.
Political Attack on Infiltration
Turning to the political landscape, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the opposition, accusing them of compromising Assam’s security for vote-bank politics. He alleged that previous governments “opened the doors for infiltrators,” leading to the encroachment of tribal lands and animal corridors. He praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his administration’s aggressive drive to clear illegal encroachments from forests and historic sites.
“The opposition does not consider the people of Assam its own. Their only policy is to protect infiltrators to gain power,” Modi cautioned, citing recent election results in Maharashtra and Bihar as evidence that the country is rejecting “negative politics.”
The event was attended by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita.
