PM Modi asks states to speed up Bengaluru Suburban Rail, Telangana lift irrigation projects
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reviewed the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project in Karnataka and the J Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme in Telangana and asked the states to speed up execution of the long-pending projects.
According to a report published by News18 on Friday, the review took place during a PRAGATI meeting held on December 31, 2025.
The Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project has been on the discussion table for four decades. It was finally sanctioned in 2020 and was targeted for completion in 2023 but is still far from complete.
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The project spans about 148 km across four corridors and is aimed at improving connectivity between the city, its suburbs and Kempegowda International Airport. The project is expected to cater to about 10 lakh commuters daily.
The cost of the project has gone up by nearly ₹1,020 crore, rising from ₹15,767 crore to ₹16,876 crore. PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of the project in 2023 with a 40-month deadline for completion.
The J Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme in Telangana was conceived in 2001 during the tenure of then chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in undivided Andhra Pradesh. The project is designed to irrigate about 5.57 lakh acres across Warangal, Karimnagar and Nalgonda districts and is among the largest lift irrigation schemes in Asia. It is targeted for completion by 2027.
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Voting begins for Assam's 126 assembly seats
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Guwahati (PTI): Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates, officials said.
In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.
Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning.
An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state.
Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP’s Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF’s Charan Boro are also in the fray.
The Congress has the highest of 99 contestants, followed by the BJP (90), AIUDF (30), NDA allies AGP (26) and BPF (11).
Opposition alliance’s Raijor Dal is contesting in 13, AJP in 10, CPI(M) in 3 and APHLC in 2. Outside the two coalitions, the AAP is contesting in 18 seats, UPPL in 18, TMC 22, JMM 16 and there are 258 independents.
The ruling NDA’s main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF) while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).
The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.
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