NATIONAL

PM Modi Launches Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, Flags Off Two Amrit Bharat Express Trains in Assam

• 18 Jan 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project at Kaliabor in Assam’s Nagaon district. The project, with an estimated cost of over ₹6,950 crore, is an 86-kilometre-long environmentally conscious National Highway initiative aimed at boosting regional connectivity while safeguarding wildlife.

A major component of the project is a 35-kilometre elevated wildlife corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park. Designed to allow uninterrupted movement of animals, the corridor is expected to reduce human-wildlife conflict, improve road safety, and shorten travel time. The project will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts, significantly improving connectivity to Upper Assam, including Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

Addressing a public gathering, the Prime Minister said Kaziranga is not just a national park but the “soul of Assam” and recalled its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He noted a steady rise in tourist footfall in recent years and stressed that protecting Kaziranga and its biodiversity is a responsibility towards future generations.

Mr Modi highlighted that forest and tree cover in the country has increased over the past decade and said more than 260 crore trees have been planted under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign. He said India is demonstrating that development and environmental conservation can go hand in hand.

The Prime Minister also flagged off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains from Assam: the Kamakhya–Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and the Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express. He said the new infrastructure projects would enhance passenger and freight movement and contribute to Assam’s overall development.

Criticising the Congress for what he termed inaction during its rule, Mr Modi said people across the country now demand good governance and development, adding that recent election results reflect growing public confidence in the BJP.