By Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on February 14 to unveil and dedicate to the public a series of infrastructure projects worth over ₹5,450 crore, signalling a major investment push in connectivity, strategic infrastructure and urban mobility in the Northeast. The visit is expected to underscore the Centre’s focus on accelerating development in a region long viewed as geographically remote but strategically vital.
From high-capacity bridges to dual-use aviation facilities, the projects lined up for inauguration reflect a blend of civilian development and logistical preparedness. Officials say the combined initiatives are designed not only to reduce travel time and boost trade but also to strengthen disaster response capabilities in a state frequently affected by floods and extreme weather.
The Prime Minister will begin his tour in Dibrugarh, where he is scheduled to land at the newly constructed Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass. Built as dual-purpose infrastructure, the facility can accommodate fighter jets weighing up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes. Beyond defence utility, authorities highlight its role in enabling swift deployment of rescue and relief operations during natural disasters — a recurring challenge in Upper Assam.
The centrepiece of the visit will be the inauguration of the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a six-lane extradosed prestressed concrete bridge built across the Brahmaputra at an estimated cost of ₹3,030 crore. Touted as the first bridge of its kind in the Northeast, it connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is expected to reduce travel time between the two points to approximately seven minutes.
Urban planners believe the bridge will ease congestion on existing routes while opening new corridors for residential and commercial expansion on the northern bank. Improved road connectivity is also expected to facilitate smoother freight movement, strengthening Assam’s position as a gateway to the broader Northeast.
Additional projects linked to digital infrastructure, higher education expansion and public transport upgrades are also scheduled to be flagged off during the visit, though detailed breakdowns are awaited.
With Assembly elections in several northeastern states on the horizon in the coming years, the large-scale infrastructure rollout also carries political weight. However, for residents and businesses, the immediate focus remains on how quickly these projects translate into tangible economic and mobility gains on the ground.
