PM Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 18) laid the foundation stone for the Rs 6,957 crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project in Nagaon district of Assam and flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains digitally. PM Modi, who arrived here from Guwahati on the final leg of his two-day visit to Assam, participated in the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ (groundbreaking ceremony) of the Kaziranga project.
PM Modi also inspected a model of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor. The Prime Minister also digitally flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains: Dibrugarh-Gomti Nagar (Lucknow) and Kamakhya-Rohtak. An official said that these trains will significantly improve long-distance rail connectivity between Assam and various states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana, reducing travel time and providing modern passenger amenities.
‘Assam received very little budget during Congress rule’
PM Modi said that the biggest pain of the Northeast has always been distance – the distance between hearts and the distance between places. For decades, the people here felt that the country’s development was happening elsewhere and they were being left behind. This affected not only the economy but also trust. We have worked to change this feeling. He said that the work of connecting Assam through roadways, railways, airways, and waterways started simultaneously, but the Congress never cared about it. When the Congress government was at the Centre, Assam received a very small rail budget, approximately Rs 2000 crore. Now, the BJP government has increased it to approximately Rs 10,000 crore annually.
Speaking at the launch of development works in Kaliabor aimed at improving Assam’s connectivity and protecting the region’s biodiversity.
https://t.co/lZcydC0SLn— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 18, 2026
What PM said about rhino poaching
PM Modi said that in the last few years, the number of tourists in Kaziranga has increased continuously. Local youth have found new sources of income through homestays, guide services, transportation, handicrafts, and small businesses. Today, I would especially like to commend the people of Assam and the state government for another thing. There was a time when incidents of rhino poaching in Kaziranga had become the biggest concern for Assam. Dozens of one-horned rhinos were killed in 2013-14. The BJP government had decided that we would not allow this to continue, that this would not be tolerated anymore. Following this, we strengthened the security system from the ground up.
Taking a dig at the BMC elections
PM Modi said that today’s voter wants good governance, wants development, and focuses on both development and heritage, which is why they prefer the BJP. These elections also send another message. The country is consistently rejecting the negative politics of the Congress, and in Mumbai, the very city where the Congress was born, it has now become the fourth or fifth largest party.
He said that the moments spent in Kaziranga two years ago are among the most special experiences of his life. He had the opportunity to spend the night at Kaziranga National Park, and the next morning, during an elephant safari, he experienced the beauty of the region up close. He always feels a unique joy when he comes to Assam. This land is the land of heroes, the land of sons and daughters who have showcased their talent in every field.
