Sahebganj, April 5: A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Sahebganj to lay the foundation stone of the much-awaited bridge over Ganga, the face of farmer Sheikh Musharaf of Mahadevganj village, from where the proposed 6km link will start, is a picture of mixed emotions.

The weather-beaten man is standing on the cusp of history where lakhs will gain a bridge and a port but a few like him lose their homes and farms.

Mahadevganj, home to Musharaf's family and around a thousand other households, will cease to exist once the construction of the Rs 2,266-crore, four-lane bridge till Mahihari Ghat in Bihar's Katihar, begins. Musharaf, who got his compensation from the government for his land, has already reaped his last harvest. Though they have not yet been officially asked to move out, he and his family are mentally prepared.

"I wish Modiji came to our village, but we will all go tomorrow to hear him," Musharaf said, referring to the Prime Minister's mega event at Sahebganj Police Lines where he would lay the foundation stone of the bridge and inland water transport terminal. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari is already in Sahebganj today.

In land acquisition projects, resentment builds up over a period of time, but Mahadevganj seems to have shown maturity. Musharaf's family, which received Rs 19 lakh in compensation at the rate of Rs 50,000 per cottah over a year ago, said the only time he felt strange was when land prices shot up to Rs 8 to 10 lakh per cottah recently.

"Land prices are going through the roof ever since people realised the government is serious about the bridge. The area's landscape will completely change in our lifetime," he smiled knowingly.

Mahadevganj apart, the other village to be affected is Samda, where the inland water transport terminal, whose foundation stone Modi will lay tomorrow, is coming up. But, only 59 acres from Samda will be required for this Rs 289-crore project to be built in 30 months. Neither villagers nor the district authorities foresee displacement in Samda.

Both Mahadevganj and Samda, located 15km from district headquarters but on opposite ends, have a sizeable minority population. But, while not seeing eye to eye with the BJP's ideology, people in general seem happy that big things are finally happening in Sahebganj.

"We have been hearing about these projects since ages. Finally, our dream has come true. We may not agree with the BJP ideology, but we are grateful to the Prime Minister for these projects," said Md Islam of Samda village, who will attend Modi's rally tomorrow.

Over three lakh persons are expected to attend Modi's rally for which Sahebganj district administration is working overtime.

"It will be a historic show. Through tomorrow's event, the BJP will prove its commitment to work for Jharkhand's positive growth," said state unit BJP general secretary Deepak Prakash.