Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stones for, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation various development projects worth more than Rs 35,000 crore in Vadodara.
He received an enthusiastic welcome from the people at the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event.
Among the major projects were three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), covering 326 route kilometres and developed at a cost of more than Rs 20,700 crore. These include the New Sanand (North)-New Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Saphale and New Saphale-New JNPT sections.
The direct connectivity with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is expected to facilitate faster movement of EXIM cargo, strengthen connectivity between industrial centres and ports, reduce logistics costs and help decongest Mumbai’s railway network.
Prime Minister Modi also flagged off freight train services from New Sanand (North), New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New JNPT in Mumbai. He also flagged off a new passenger train service between Tanda Road and Vadodara (Pratapnagar).
He dedicated the Jobat-Tanda Road new rail line to the nation. Developed as part of the Chhota Udepur-Dhar project, the line will connect remote and tribal areas of Alirajpur with the national rail network.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones for three railway projects spanning 329 kilometres at a cost of more than Rs 9,700 crore. These include the Vadodara-Ratlam third and fourth railway lines, Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar gauge conversion and the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi doubling project.
He further laid the foundation stones for three National Highway projects costing around Rs 1,780 crore. These include the six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan section of NH-48, construction of additional structures, including major bridges over the Tapi and Narmada, on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48, and grade-separated structures at Abhava, Mindhola and Khajod junctions on NH-53.
Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stones for and inaugurated various Gujarat government projects worth around Rs 2,600 crore.
Major projects include Phase II of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road, a 110 MW floating solar project at Kadana Dam and a new office building for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation.
Among the projects inaugurated were housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and a water-supply project covering 11 villages in eastern Vadodara, among others.
-ANI
