Patna, Sep 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Purnea Airport on Monday, along with launching and laying the foundation stone of development projects worth nearly Rs 36,000 crore across Bihar.

The first commercial flight will take off from Purnea to Ahmedabad and then to Kolkata later in the day.

Booking of tickets for both the flights has already been completed.

Future expansion will link Purnea with Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, boosting connectivity for the Seemanchal and Kosi regions.

Besides the airport, the PM will also inaugurate the Araria–Galgalia–Thakurganj new railway line worth Rs 4,410 crore.

He will flag off the Jogbani–Danapur Vande Bharat Express, Jogbani–Erode Amrit Bharat Express, and Saharsa–Amritsar Amrit Bharat Express.

The PM will lay the foundation stone of the Vikramshila–Kataria rail line worth Rs 2,170 crore, the 2400 MW Thermal Power Project worth ₹25,000 crore in Bhagalpur’s Pirpaiti block, the Kosi–Mechi Interstate River Link Project (Phase 1) worth Rs 2,680 crore, Namami Gange projects in Bhagalpur, including STPs, interception and diversion projects, and drinking water projects for Darbhanga, Katihar, and Bhagalpur.

Under the housing and social development project, Griha Pravesh will be done for 40,920 families under the PM Awas Yojana homes built at a cost of Rs 603 crore. There will also be a distribution of a community investment fund worth Rs 500 crore, establishment of the National Makhana Board to support Bihar’s traditional fox nut farmers, and a Semen Bank facility in Purnea built at a cost of Rs 64 crore.

Officials said the projects would usher in a “new era of employment, connectivity, and social uplift” in Bihar, particularly in the border districts of Seemanchal and Kosi, which have long been considered underdeveloped.

Improved air and rail connectivity is expected to facilitate trade, tourism, and job opportunities for lakhs of people.

The visit marks one of the largest development packages for Bihar in recent years, with a strong focus on infrastructure, connectivity, power, housing and water supply.

As the trip comes ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls, PM Modi will also address a massive public rally at the Sheeshabadi SSB Camp Ground, Gulabbag Zero Mile in Purnea.

Ahead of his visit, the entire city has been decorated with banners, cutouts, and welcome gates, while heavy security deployment has been ensured by the SPG, CRPF, and local police.

The PM’s rally is witnessing unprecedented security arrangements with a ban on drones, multiple security drills, and 1,500 personnel deployed at the venue.

Police have issued traffic advisories and set up a district control room to monitor the situation.

Observers note that the timing of the mega announcements — just ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections — carries political weight.

PM Modi had promised major development projects for Bihar during the 2019 Lok Sabha campaign, and today’s package is being positioned as the fulfillment of that pledge.

–IANS

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