Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter returned to Kolkata on Saturday after failing to land at Taherpur helipad in Nadia district due to dense fog and low visibility.
The chopper hovered briefly over the helipad before making a U-turn to NSC Bose International Airport. Officials began preparing the airport’s VIP lounge as an alternative venue for Modi to address the waiting crowd virtually, since travelling by road could cause major delays and disrupt his schedule.
Uncertainty remains over whether Modi will attempt to reach the rally venue by road or wait for improved visibility to make another aerial attempt. His visit to West Bengal includes inaugurating national highway projects and addressing the BJP’s Parivartan Sankalpa Sabha rally.
Modi arrived in Kolkata around 10:40 am and boarded a helicopter for Nadia, where he is scheduled to inaugurate two highway projects worth approximately Rs 3,200 crore. These include the 66.7-km four-laning of the Barajaguli–Krishnanagar section of NH-34 and the foundation stone laying for the 17.6-km four-laning of the Barasat–Barajaguli section in North 24 Parganas.
The project aims to strengthen connectivity between Kolkata and Siliguri, boosting trade, tourism, and economic activity across the state. The rally venue at Taherpur, located in Ranaghat, holds political significance due to its large Matua population.
This marks Modi’s first visit to West Bengal since the publication of draft Special Intensive Revision (SIR) rolls, which have triggered protests from the ruling Trinamool Congress over alleged voter exclusions. It is also his third visit to the state in the past five months.
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