BALURGHAT, July 10 -- South Dinajpur witnessed a major push in infrastructure on Friday as several medical projects were inaugurated under Swasthya Samman 2026, while the long-awaited proposal to widen National Highway-512 between Hili and Gazole into a four-lane road moved a step closer to implementation.
The District Health and Family Welfare Department organised Swasthya Samman 2026 (Health Summit 2026) at the Balurghat Baluchhaya Auditorium, where a series of healthcare initiatives aimed at strengthening medical services across the district were formally launched. The programme was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Education and Balurghat MP Sukanta Majumdar in the presence of senior officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department, public representatives and invited guests.
Among the major projects inaugurated were a Mammography Unit at Balurghat District Hospital, the official portal of the TB-Free Bharat-South Dinajpur District Dashboard, a Digital X-ray Unit at Hili Rural Hospital, the rollout of 102 ambulance services and the foundation stone laying ceremony for an Arogya Mandir at Hili Primary Health Centre. Addressing the gathering, Majumdar said the government remained committed to the overall development of South Dinajpur and West Bengal. He asserted that after assuming office, the government prioritised infrastructure and public welfare, assuring that more development projects would be implemented on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, the proposed four-laning of the Hili-Gazole stretch of NH-512 has gained fresh momentum after the Central government directed the South Dinajpur district administration to begin preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Administrative sources said the tender process for preparing the DPR has already commenced and construction work is expected to begin after the report is completed.
The project, estimated at around Rs 1,300 crore, was announced by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari a few years ago. It proposes widening the highway from Hili to Trimohini and from Kamarpara to Khanpur. A bypass road has also been planned around Gangarampur to reduce traffic congestion while minimising land acquisition and compensation in the densely populated town.
The project had remained stalled for several years due to differences between the previous Trinamool Congress-led state government and the BJP-led Central government. Following the formation of the BJP government in West Bengal the proposal has progressed, with Majumdar actively pursuing the matter. Welcoming the development, exporter Rajesh Agarwal stated "Infrastructure improves cross-border trade prospects immensely."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.