Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched multiple development projects across Bihar to the tune of Rs 5,700 crore on June 20. He also flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive built at the Marhowra Plant for export to the Republic of Guinea, under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The plant became the first export locomotive manufactured in this factory. They are equipped with high-horsepower engines, advanced AC propulsion systems, microprocessor-based control systems, and ergonomic cab designs, incorporating technologies like regenerative braking.
PM Modi also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. He was felicitated at a public meeting in Siwan, where he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects, including in the water, rail, and power sectors.To boost railway infrastructure in the region, PM Modi inaugurated the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line project, worth over Rs 400 crore, and flagged off a new train service on this route.
In line with his commitment to conserving and rejuvenating the river Ganga, PM Modi also inaugurated six Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project, worth over Rs 1,800 crore, to cater to the needs of people in the region. He also laid the foundation stone for water supply, sanitation, and STPs worth over Rs 3000 crore in various towns across Bihar, aiming to provide clean and safe drinking water to the citizens of these towns.
In a significant boost to power infrastructure in the region, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity in Bihar. Standalone BESSs are being installed at 15 grid substations of the state, including Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Bettiah, and Siwan, among others. The battery’s capacity to be installed in each substation is between 20 and 80 MWh. It will save the distribution companies from buying electricity at expensive rates by feeding the already stored electricity back to the grid, directly benefiting the consumers. PM Modi also released the first instalment to more than 53,600 beneficiaries of PMAY U in the state.
