India’s highway modernisation drive received a significant boost in eastern India as two major National Highway projects worth nearly Rs 3,200 crore were inaugurated and launched in West Bengal’s Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts. The projects, centred on key stretches of National Highway 34, are expected to substantially improve connectivity between Kolkata and Siliguri, one of the state’s most critical economic and logistics corridors.
At an event in Ranaghat, the Prime Minister inaugurated the completed four-laning of the 66.7-kilometre Barajaguli-Krishnanagar section in Nadia district. Simultaneously, the foundation stone was laid for the four-laning of the 17.6-kilometre Barasat-Barajaguli stretch in North 24 Parganas. Together, these projects form an integral part of the north-south arterial route that links the Kolkata metropolitan region with northern West Bengal and the North-East. According to officials overseeing the programme, the upgraded highway infrastructure is designed to reduce travel time by nearly two hours, easing congestion and enabling smoother movement of passenger and freight traffic. For a state that relies heavily on road-based transport for agricultural produce, manufacturing goods, and tourism flows, such efficiency gains could have a meaningful economic impact. Urban and transport planners note that NH-34 functions as more than a transit corridor. It connects industrial clusters, logistics hubs, and tourism destinations across districts that have historically struggled with uneven infrastructure investment. Improved road capacity is expected to support supply chains, lower transportation costs, and enhance access to markets for smaller towns along the route.
An official familiar with the projects said the highway expansion aligns with broader national objectives of creating resilient and future-ready transport networks. Wider carriageways, improved junctions, and safer road design standards are also expected to reduce accident rates, a persistent concern on older two-lane highways. Beyond logistics and trade, the projects are likely to influence urban development patterns. Faster connectivity can encourage decentralisation of economic activity away from overburdened city centres, while supporting planned growth in secondary towns. Industry experts point out that such corridors, when paired with public transport integration and responsible land-use planning, can help limit urban sprawl and reduce per-capita emissions over time. The inauguration event was impacted by dense fog, which prevented the Prime Minister’s helicopter from landing at the designated venue. Addressing a public gathering remotely from Kolkata, he reiterated the role of infrastructure investment in unlocking regional potential, while also making political remarks critical of governance in the state.
As work begins on the remaining section and traffic begins to flow more freely on the upgraded stretch, the real test will lie in how effectively the corridor supports inclusive growth. For residents, businesses, and travellers alike, the success of these highway projects will ultimately be measured not just in kilometres built, but in safer journeys, economic opportunity, and more balanced regional development.
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