PM Modi Launches ₹830 Cr Projects in Singur, Slams TMC Govt, Vows Jobs & Industrial Revival
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, launched and laid the foundation stone for a bouquet of rail and waterways projects worth more than ₹830 crore at Singur in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, using the politically symbolic venue to accuse the Trinamool Congress government of blocking development and to promise jobs‑oriented industrialisation in the state.
Key Projects In The ₹830 Crore Package
The Prime Minister inaugurated the Jayrambati–Barogopinathpur–Maynapur new rail line, a crucial stretch of the under‑construction Tarkeshwar–Bishnupur project that will improve connectivity between Hooghly and Bankura districts.
He also flagged off a new passenger train service between Maynapur and Jayrambati, with a halt at Barogopinathpur, providing direct rail access for students, daily commuters and pilgrims travelling to important religious centres in the region.
In the waterways segment, Modi laid the foundation stone for an extended port gate and inland water transport terminal project, envisaged as a modern multimodal logistics hub to handle cargo, decongest Kolkata and boost trade along the Hooghly river belt.
Singur’s Symbolism And PM’s Attack On TMC
Choosing Singur – once the epicentre of protests that forced Tata Motors to relocate its Nano car plant – Modi said the site had become a “lesson in missed opportunities” and alleged that West Bengal had lost large‑scale industry due to “vote‑bank politics and anti‑industry mindset”.
He accused the TMC government of “protecting syndicates and mafias”, claiming that investors will only come when law and order is restored and what he called the “syndicate raj” is dismantled.
Referring to incidents such as alleged land‑grabbing in Sandeshkhali and irregularities in teacher recruitment, the Prime Minister urged voters to ensure that “violence and corruption in education and employment” do not continue, promising that a BJP government would bring “real change”.
Push For Jobs, Connectivity And ‘Viksit Bharat’
Modi said the new rail line, terminal and trains would cut travel time, reduce logistics costs and create direct and indirect employment for youth in Hooghly, Bankura and neighbouring districts, calling eastern India’s development “central to the vision of a developed India”.
He linked the projects to the Centre’s broader “Viksit Bharat 2047” agenda and argued that infrastructure in transport, logistics and tourism would help local farmers, small businesses and MSMEs access bigger markets.
Modi also mentioned the launch of an electric catamaran service on the Hooghly to promote eco‑friendly urban river transport and tourism, projecting it as a model for green mobility in other riverine cities.
Political Reactions And TMC’s Counterattack
- The Trinamool Congress hit back, accusing Modi of “distorting Singur’s history” and claiming that the BJP was using the Tata Nano episode to attack a movement that protected farmers’ land rights.
- TMC leaders argued that West Bengal is already attracting new investment and said the Prime Minister was “insulting the people’s intelligence” by painting the state as anti‑industry.
- BJP leaders, on the other hand, projected the Singur rally as the launchpad for a renewed push to make Bengal a manufacturing and logistics hub, tying the projects to their campaign narrative for the upcoming Assembly polls.
Leaders Present On The Dais
West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar and other senior leaders shared the stage with the Prime Minister at the Singur event.
Party strategists see the optics of a large crowd in Singur, combined with the infrastructure push and sharp criticism of the TMC, as part of a calibrated attempt to consolidate BJP’s support in industrial and semi‑urban belts of south Bengal.
