Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his weekend with a jungle safari in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and the inauguration of the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel (Sela Tunnel) in Arunachal Pradesh.
PM Modi, who reached Assam yesterday, went on a jungle safari at the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve this morning. He first took an elephant safari in the Central Kohora Range of the park. He then went on a jeep safari in the same range with forest officials.
“This morning I was at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Nestled amidst lush greenery, this UNESCO World Heritage site is blessed with diverse flora and fauna including the majestic one horned rhinoceros,” he said in an online post.
He dedicated the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel, Sela Tunnel, to the nation at the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit North East’ programme in Arunachal Pradesh’s Itanagar later in the day.
The Sela Tunnel is an engineering marvel set to provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela pass in Arunachal Pradesh. The tunnel, built at a cost of about ₹ 825 crore, is also of strategic importance to the country. Its foundation stone was laid by PM Modi in 2019.
The Prime Minister took a jibe at the Congress while speaking at the programme. “The Congress tried to keep the border areas underdeveloped. Sela tunnel could have been made before, but their priority was different. They used to think there are only two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal, why work so much…I promise the people of Sela I will come again in my third term,” he said.
At the programme, he also launched the UNNATI scheme worth ₹ 10,000 crore and dedicated developmental projects worth ₹ 55,600 crore in Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
PM Modi will inaugurate ‘Statue of Valour’, a 125-foot high statue of legendary Ahom general Lachit Barphukan, in Jorhat this afternoon.
Later in the day, he will visit Meleng Meteli Pothar in Jorhat district and inaugurate and lay foundation stones of developmental projects worth around ₹ 18,000 crore. He will also address a public meeting here.
From Arunachal, he will travel to Siliguri in West Bengal to participate in a public programme in the evening. At the event, he will dedicate projects worth ₹ 4,500 crore in West Bengal.
He will reach his constituency Varanasi around 7 pm and offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. He will attend a public programme in the city next day and dedicate and lay foundation stone of projects worth over ₹ 42,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh.