Kolkata/UNI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on Friday to inaugurate a number of projects.

At around 11:15 am, the Prime Minister will reach Howrah Railway Station, where he will flag off Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah to New Jalpaiguri.

He will also inaugurate the Joka-Taratala stretch of the Purple Line of Kolkata Metro and lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation various Railway projects.

At 12 noon, Modi will reach INS Netaji Subhas, pay floral tribute at the statue of Netaji Subhas and inaugurate Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee – National Institute of Water and Sanitation (DSPM – NIWAS).

He will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation multiple sewerage infrastructure projects for West Bengal under National Mission for Clean Ganga.

At around 12:25 PM, the Prime Minister will chair the second meeting of the National Ganga Council.

In yet another step to boost Cooperative Federalism in the country, the Prime Minister will chair the second meeting of the National Ganga Council (NGC) here on Friday.

The meeting will be attended by the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, other Union Ministers who are members of the council and Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The National Ganga Council has been given the overall responsibility for the superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of River Ganga and its tributaries.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate seven sewerage infrastructure projects (20 Sewage Treatment Plants and a 612 km network) developed under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) at a cost of more than Rs 990 crore.

These projects will benefit the municipalities of Nabadwip, Kacharapra, Halishar, Budge-Budge, Barrackpore, Chandan Nagar, Bansberia, Uttrapara Kotrung, Baidyabati, Bhadreshwar, Naihati, Garulia, Titagarh, and Panihati. These projects will add the Sewage Treatment Capacity of over 200 MLD in the state of West Bengal.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for 5 sewerage infrastructure projects (8 Sewage Treatment Plants and 80 Km Network) to be developed under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) at an estimated cost of Rs 1585 crore.

These projects will add 190 MLD new STP capacity in West Bengal. These projects will benefit areas of North Barrackpore, Hooghly-Chinsurah, Kolkata KMC area- Garden Reach & Adi Ganga (Tolly Nala) and Maheshtala town.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate Syama Prasad Mookerjee – National Institute of Water and Sanitation (DSPM – NIWAS), which has been developed at Joka, Diamond Harbour Road, Kolkata at an estimated cost of around Rs 100 Crore.

The Institute will serve as an apex body in the country on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the country, serving as a hub of information and knowledge for Central, State and local governments.

The Prime Minister will flag off the Vande Bharat Express, connecting Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, at the Howrah Railway Station.

The ultra-modern Semi High-Speed Train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities. The train will stop at Malda Town, Barsoi and Kishanganj stations en route in both directions.

Modi will inaugurate the Joka-Taratala Stretch of the Joka-Esplanade Metro Project (Purple Line). The 6.5 km stretch having 6 stations namely Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakher Bazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar and Taratala has been constructed at a cost of more than Rs 2475 Crore.

Passengers of southern parts of Kolkata City like Sarsuna, Dakghar, Muchipara and South 24 Parganas will be immensely benefited by the inauguration of this project.

During the programme, the Prime Minister will also dedicate four railway projects to the Nation.

These include Boinchi - Shaktigarh 3rd Line, developed at a cost of Rs 405 crore; Dankuni - Chandanpur 4th Line Project, developed at a cost of Rs 565 crore; Nimtita - New Farakka Double Line, developed at a cost of Rs 254 crore; and Ambari Falakata - New Maynaguri - Gumanihat Doubling Project, developed at a cost of more than Rs 1080 crore.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, to be developed at a cost of more than Rs 335 crore.