Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated multiple development projects worth over Rs 1 lakh crore in Ahmedabad. The projects span diverse sectors such as rail infrastructure, connectivity and petrochemicals.
At the newly built Operation Control Center of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) in the city, PM Modi inaugurated railway projects valued at Rs 85,000 crore.
“Since the beginning of 2024, projects worth more than Rs 11 lakh crore have been inaugurated or foundation stone laid, while projects worth Rs 7 lakh crore have been unveiled in the last 10-12 days,” PM Modi said.
He flagged off ten new Vande Bharat trains between Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam, Mysuru- Dr MGR Central (Chennai), Patna- Lucknow, New Jalpaiguri-Patna, Puri-Visakhapatnam, Lucknow – Dehradun, Kalaburagi – Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Ranchi-Varanasi, Khajuraho- Delhi (Nizamuddin).
“Transformation of railway is the guarantee of Viksit Bharat,” he remarked.
Moreover, the extension of four existing Vande Bharat trains was announced: the Ahmedabad-Jamnagar Vande Bharat now stretches till Dwarka, while the Ajmer- Delhi Sarai Rohilla Vande Bharat extends to Chandigarh, and the Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat now reaches Prayagraj. Additionally, the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod Vande Bharat now connects till Mangaluru. Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated two new passenger trains, strengthening connectivity between Asansol and Hatia, as well as Tirupati and Kollam stations.
“The manufacturing of these railway trains, tracks and stations is creating an ecosystem of Made in India”, the Prime Minister said.
He pointed out that locomotives and coaches manufactured in India are being exported to countries like Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Senegal, Myanmar and Sudan. This has led to the “rejuvenation of railways, new investments guarantees and new employment opportunities.”
Prime Minister Modi also dedicated 50 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras at railway stations to the nation. These Kendras will provide affordable and high-quality generic medicines to the public, ensuring access to essential healthcare.
In addition, 51 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals were inaugurated, with the aim of facilitating seamless movement of goods across various modes of transportation.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated 1045 Rkm of automatic signaling across 80 sections, a critical upgrade expected to enhance the efficiency and safety of train operations.
“The government’s focus is on transforming Indian Railways into a catalyst for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and promoting Vocal for Local,” the Prime Minister said. He highlighted that products crafted by the artisans, handicraft workers, and self-help groups will now be available for sale at railway stations under the One Station One Product scheme, with already 1500 stalls opened up for this purpose.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the petrochemicals complex of Petronet LNG including ethane and propane handling facilities worth over Rs. 20,600 crore at Dahej, Gujarat. Setting up the Petrochemicals complex in proximity to the existing LNG regasification terminal would result in significant savings in the capex and the operational cost of the project.
The implementation of the project is expected to generate employment opportunities for approximately 50,000 individuals during the execution phase, both directly and indirectly. Furthermore, during its operational phase, the project is projected to create employment for over 20,000 individuals.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for Ekta Malls in Gujarat and Maharashtra worth around Rs 400 crore. Ekta malls celebrate and support the rich and diverse heritage of Indian handlooms, handicrafts, traditional products and ODOP products.