Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of a range of projects valued at over ₹1.64 lakh crore during his visit to Bihar on March 2. These projects include the expansion of Barauni refinery and fertiliser plant, as well as the enhancement of railway infrastructure. The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes visits to Aurangabad and Begusarai districts on March 2, marking his first visit to Bihar since the BJP formed a government with JD (U) in January.
Additionally, the announcement of polling dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is expected within the next two weeks. The projects, which are predominantly under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of Fertilisers, and Indian Railways, are spread out across various states, with a significant presence in Bihar.
Oil and Gas
According to reports, this marks a rare occasion where a significant number of crucial oil and gas projects are being initiated by a Prime Minister.
In the petroleum industry, a total of 39 projects valued at ₹1,49,823 crore are either being inaugurated or having their foundation stones laid. Out of these, 29 projects will be inaugurated by Modi, while the foundation stone for another 10 will be laid.
Among these projects, those exceeding ₹15,000 crore are designated for Bihar, which includes the foundation laying of Indian Oil Corporation’s (IOC) Barauni refinery capacity expansion project from 6 MTPA to 9 MTPA, along with secondary process units including petrochemicals, estimated at ₹11,412 crore. The completion date for this project is set for December 2024.
Another significant project is the inauguration of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation’s (HPCL) Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project (VRMP) to modernize and increase the capacity of the Visakh refinery in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) with an investment of Rs 26,264 crore.
Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the capacity expansion of IOC’s Panipat (Haryana) refinery from 15 MTPA to 25 MTPA at an approved cost of ₹38,231 crore. The project is anticipated to be finalized by December 2025.
Railway infrastructure
Modi is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for railway projects worth over ₹4,700 crore. One of these projects is the Narkatiaganj–Gaunaha gauge conversion, which will improve connectivity in the West Champaran district, particularly in the bordering area of Narkatiaganj with Nepal.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will dedicate the Raghopur–Forbesganj line’s gauge conversion to the nation. This project will enhance connectivity to the economically backward region and facilitate better transportation to the North Eastern states.
Another significant project to be inaugurated is the doubling of the Hajipur–Bachhwara line. This development will alleviate the traffic congestion on the heavily burdened Patna-Mokama section.
Furthermore, as a valuable contribution to North Bihar, the Prime Minister will dedicate the doubling of the Hajipur–Ramdayalu Nagar rail line to the nation. This expansion will effectively address a major operational bottleneck for traffic heading towards Patna and Delhi from North Bihar.
In addition to the railway projects, Modi will also inaugurate the Barauni fertiliser plant in Begusarai district. This plant, operated by Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan (HURL), has a production capacity of 12.7 lakh tonnes of urea per annum. The project’s cost exceeded ₹9,500 crore.