PM Modi Launches ₹7,000 Cr Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, Flags Off Vande Bharat Sleeper

Kaliabor, Assam, January 18, 2026: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi performed the Bhoomi Pujan for the landmark Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project worth over ₹6,950 crore in Kaliabor, Assam today. The project, a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, is designed to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site while boosting regional connectivity.

He also flagged off three new train services, including Assam's first Vande Bharat Sleeper, enhancing the Northeast's rail link with the rest of India.

Key Announcements:

1. Kaziranga Elevated Corridor (NH-715):

A 4-laning project spanning 86 km from Kaliabor to Numaligarh.
Its centerpiece is a 35-km elevated wildlife corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park to ensure uninterrupted movement of animals like rhinos and elephants, preventing road accidents.
PM Modi stated, "Kaziranga is more than a National Park—it is the soul of Assam, a priceless jewel of India’s biodiversity."
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the project "will transform upper Assam while protecting its biodiversity."

2. New Train Services Flagged Off:

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train connecting Guwahati (Kamakhya) to Kolkata (Howrah).
Two new Amrit Bharat Express trains: Guwahati-Rohtak and Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), linking the Northeast with North India.

Focus on Ecology & Development

PM Modi highlighted the government's dual focus of "Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi" (Development and Heritage). He cited zero rhino poaching in 2025 as a success of strengthened conservation efforts.

Criticizing past governments, he noted that Assam's annual rail budget has increased five-fold from about ₹2,000 crore to nearly ₹10,000 crore under his government, leading to massive infrastructure development in the region.

The event was attended by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Pabitra Margherita, and other dignitaries.