West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on 12 June said that India, once trailing in infrastructure development under previous governments, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world — a transformation he attributed to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over 12 years of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule at the Centre. Adhikari was speaking to reporters in Kolkata on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the NDA government.

Key Infrastructure Milestones Cited

Adhikari cited a series of figures to underscore India's infrastructure push. 1,317 new and modernised railway stations have been built over the past 12 years, he said, and more than 164 Vande Bharat trains are now operational across the country. 'Once Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express were the hallmarks of modern railway services. Now Vande Bharat has become a symbol of the country's new aspirations,' the Chief Minister said.

In civil aviation, Adhikari noted that the number of airports has more than doubled — from 74 in 2014 to over 164 today, with more than 90 new airports constructed in the intervening period. On roads, he pointed to the construction of approximately 4 lakh kilometres of roads, expansion of national highways, and improved connectivity in border and remote areas.

Development Reaching Villages, Not Just Metro Cities

'All these have changed the economic structure of the country for the better. Development is no longer just centred in the metropolitan cities. Rather it has reached the remotest corners of the villages,' Adhikari said. He argued that the convergence of rail, road, and air infrastructure had accelerated economic activity across previously underserved regions.

West Bengal-Centre Coordination Under New Government

Shifting to the state perspective, Adhikari said that within just one month of the new government taking charge in West Bengal, coordination between the state and the Union government had visibly improved. 'The Union ministers are coming to West Bengal. We are also going to Delhi regularly. As a result, the work of approving and implementing projects is progressing rapidly,' he said.

PM Modi's Two-Day West Bengal Visit Confirmed

Adhikari confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day visit to West Bengal later this month, attending two separate events. On 20 June — to be observed henceforth as 'Bengal Foundation Day' — Modi is scheduled to address a gathering at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district, a site associated with the iconic Tarakeshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is expected to announce development projects for the state. On 21 June, the Prime Minister will attend a programme in Kolkata marking the International Day of Yoga. The visit is being seen as an early signal of the Centre's intent to deepen engagement with the newly formed West Bengal government.