PM Modi set to perform Bhoomi Pujan for Kaziranga Elevated Corridor
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Guwahati in the evening of January 17 for a two-day visit to the state. Apart from participating in “Bagurumba Dwhou 2026”, a historic cultural event celebrating the rich heritage of the Bodo community after his arrival on Saturday, the Prime Minister will perform Bhoomi Pujan for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project, worth over Rs 6,950 crore, and will flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains at Kaliabor, Nagaon district, on January 18.
This is the Prime Minister’s second visit within a month of his last visit to the state in December 2025, when he inaugurated the new terminal of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati and laid the foundation stone of the Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project of Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited at Namrup in the Dibrugarh district.
On his latest visit to the state, after a stopover in West Bengal for various programmes, he will arrive on January 17, at around 6 PM, and witness the Traditional Bodo Cultural Programme “Bagurumba Dwhou 2026” at Arjun Bhogewar Baruah Sports Complex at Sarusajai, Guwahati.
On this occasion, more than 10,000 artists from the Bodo community will perform the Bagurumba dance in a single, synchronized presentation. Artists from 81 Legislative Assembly Constituencies from across 23 districts of the state will participate in the event.
Bagurumba is a famous folk dance of the Bodo community, which is deeply inspired by nature. The dance symbolizes blooming flowers and reflects harmony between human life and the natural world. Traditionally performed by young Bodo women with men accompanying them as musicians, the dance features gentle, flowing movements that imitate butterflies, birds, leaves, and flowers. Performances are usually organized in groups, forming circles or lines that enhance the dance’s visual elegance.
The Bagurumba dance holds deep cultural significance for the Bodo people. It represents peace, fertility, joy, and collective harmony, and it is closely associated with festivals such as Bwisagu, the Bodo New Year, and Domasi.
On Friday, the final rehearsal of the historical Bagurumba dance featuring 10,000 artists at Sarusajai was held in the presence of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Chief Minister took stock of the preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit on Saturday.
On the second day of his visit, on January 18, at around 11 AM, Prime Minister Modi will perform Bhoomi Pujan for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project (4-laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-715), worth over Rs 6,950 crore, and will flag off 2 new Amrit Bharat Express trains at Kaliabor, Nagaon district.
The 86-km-long Kaziranga Elevated Corridor is an environmentally conscious National Highway project. It will feature 35 km of elevated wildlife corridor that will pass through Kaziranga National Park, with 21 km of a bypass section and 30 km of widening of the existing highway section of NH-715 from two to four lanes. The project aims to improve regional connectivity while ensuring protection of the park’s rich biodiversity.
The project will pass through the Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts and significantly improve connectivity to Upper Assam, particularly Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. The elevated wildlife corridor will ensure uninterrupted movement of animals and reduce human-wildlife conflict. It will also enhance road safety, reduce travel time and accident rates, and support growing passenger and freight traffic. As part of the project, bypasses will be developed at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat to help decongest towns, improve urban mobility, and enhance the quality of life for local residents.
During the second day’s programme, the Prime Minister will also flag off 2 new Amrit Bharat Express trains – the Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and the Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express. These new train services will strengthen rail connectivity between the Northeast and Northern India, enabling safer and more convenient travel for the people.
Prior to his arrival in Guwahati, the Prime Minister will visit Malda Town Railway Station in West Bengal on January 17, where he will flag off India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya). He will also virtually flag off the Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper Train. Developed to meet the growing transportation needs of modern India, the fully air-conditioned Vande Bharat Sleeper train is set to offer passengers an airline-like travel experience at economical fares. It will make long-distance journeys faster, safer, and more convenient. By significantly reducing travel time by around 2 and a half hours on the Howrah–Guwahati (Kamakhya) route, the train will also give a major boost to religious travel and tourism.
Regarding the visit of the Prime Minister, the CM posted on social media platforms today, “Assam is all set to welcome Adarniya Shri Narendra Modi ji tomorrow to Guwahati...On the 18th he will lay the foundation stone of the ambitious Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, which will reduce travel time between Guwahati and Jorhat & save precious animal lives.”
Also read: 11,000 artistes to perform mega ‘Bagurumba D’how’ in Guwahati