Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi while dedicating and kicking off over Rs. 1 lakh crore development projects from here today said Nav Nirman for Viksit Bharat is continuously expanding.

‘If I speak about just around 75 days of current year 2024 so far, the projects worth over Rs. 11 lakh crore are either kicked off or dedicated. And If I speak about just last 10-12 days, Rs. 7 lakh crore plus projects are either kicked off or dedicated. In direction of Viksit Bharat, the nation has taken a big step today. Over Rs. 1 lakh crore projects are kicked off or dedicated. Only railway projects the country has got today are worth Rs. 85,000 crore. At Dahej in Gujarat, Rs. 20,000 crore plus Petroleum campus’s shilanyas is performed. It will play an important role in Hydrogen and polypropylene sectors.In Gujarat and Maharashtra, Ekta malls are also inaugurated today.’

‘If you go through 25-30 railway budgets before 2014, you would find, that in railway budgets the governments would increase the number of coaches and it would attract applause. Getting stoppages was all that mattered. But can we afford to think on this same line even in the 21st century? We combined the Railway budget with the main budget.’

‘There were days when people were concerned about the late train. They would go to station to see how late the train is. The onus of cleanliness and other things was left on passengers.’

’10 years ago, capitals of 6 states of the North East were not connected to Railways. In 2014, more than 10,000 railway crossings were such where there was no person stationed there. Accidents were frequent. We would lose our young men and children.’

‘Before 2014 only 35 percent railway lines were electrified. Railway doubling was not in their priority. A common man of this country, a middle class family, a small farmer, a small trader .. they were suffering. There were long queues, middlemen, and Commission agents for Railway reservation. There was a long wait. People had accepted the situation.’

‘I started my life on the railway track. I was aware of the state of the railway. Railway’s development is among the Government’s top priorities. We have increased the railway budget by six times. In the next five years, there will be an unimaginable kayakalp of Indian Railways. This day is evidence of that intention. This ten years of work is just a trailer. I want to even go forward.’

‘There has been a century(100) of Vande Bharat trains. The network has reached more than 250 districts. The government constantly expands the routes of trains to respect the feeling of people.’

‘Woorldwide we see anywhere, the rich and industrially prosperous countries have a major role played by Railways. Railway’s kayakalp is guarantee of Viksit Bharat. Reforms are happening speedily in the railway sector. Modernization of more than 1300 railway stations, Vande Bharat, Amrut Bharat, modern rail factories, modern coaches.. happening today.’

‘Land leasing policy is simplified and made online for transparency. Railway ministry’s Gati Shakti Vidhyalaya is established. We want to eliminate unmanned crossing and erect automatic signalling. We are moving ahead to achieve 100 percent electrification. We are establishing solar powered stations. We are opening affordable medicine stores at railway stations. We are building a Made in India eco-system.’

‘Our rail products are exported to Sri Lanka, Mozambiq, Senegal, Myanmar, Sudan. Demand of our semi high-speed trains if increased, many factories will be here. Some people see this politically, but these development works are not for forming a government but for forming the nation.’

‘There was a decades old demand of separate tracks for goods trains. Under Congress this project was latakta, bhatakta, atakta. This freight corridor is almost complete. Today around 650 km long freight corridors are dedicated. The operation control centre in Ahmedabad is inaugurated. Goods train speed is doubled on this corridor. Big wagons can be operated to carry more goods. Industrial corridors are being developed in the freight corridor. Railway goods shade, railway workshops, loco shades are also opened today.’

‘1500 one station one product shops are opened. Ramayan circuit, Gurukrupa circuit, Jain pilgrimage Bharat Gaurav trains, Aasstha special trains are carrying Ram bhakts to Ayodhya from corners of country. 300 Aasstha trains carried 4.50 lakh pilgrims to Ayodhya.’

PM Modi at DFC’s Operation Control Centre in Ahmedabad

In a major boost to the Railway infrastructure, connectivity, and the petrochemicals sector, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone and dedicated a slew of railway and Petrochemicals projects worth over Rs. 1,06,000 crores from DFC’s Operation Control Centre in Ahmedabad.

Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Railway Workshops, Loco Sheds, Pit lines/ Coaching Depots; Phaltan – Baramati New line; Electric Traction System upgradation work and dedicated to the Nation two new sections of Dedicated Freight Corridor between New Khurja to Sahnewal (401 Rkm) section of Eastern DFC and New Makarpura to New Gholvad section (244 Rkm) of Western DFC; Western DFC’s Operation Control Center (OCC), Ahmedabad.

Prime Minister also 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).

PM is also flagged off the extension of four Vande Bharat trains. Ahmedabad-Jamnagar Vande Bharat is being extended till Dwarka, Ajmer- Delhi Sarai Rohilla Vande Bharat is being extended till Chandigarh, Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat is being extended till Prayagraj and Thiruvananthapuram- Kasargod Vande Bharat is being extended till Mangaluru; and two new passenger trains between Asansol and Hatia & Tirupati and Kollam stations.

Prime Minister also flagged off freight trains on Dedicated Freight Corridor from various locations – New Khurja Jn., Sahnewal, New Rewari, New Kishangarh, New Gholvad, and New Makarpura.

50 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras at Railway Stations were also dedicated to the Nation. These Jan Aushadi Kendras will offer affordable and quality generic medicines to the people.

51 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals to the Nation were also dedicated to the Nation. These terminals will promote seamless movement of goods between different modes of transportation.

Prime Minister also dedicated to the Nation 1045 Rkm of Automatic Signaling in 80 sections. This upgrade will enhance safety and efficiency of train operations. He also inaugurated Nation Digital Controlling of Railway stations at 2646 stations. This will improve operational efficiency and safety of the trains.

35 Rail Coach Restaurants were also inaugurated today. The Rail coach restaurant aims to cater to the needs of passengers and the public apart from generating non-fare revenue for railways.

More than 1500 One Station One Product Stalls spread across the country were also inaugurated. These stalls will promote local products and generate income for local artisans and businesses.

Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation Solar Powered Stations/buildings at 975 locations. This initiative will contribute to India’s renewable energy goals and reduce the railways’ carbon footprint.

Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Petrochemicals complex of Petronet LNG including Ethane and Propane handling facilities worth over Rs. 20,600 crores at Dahej, Gujarat. Setting up of the Petrochemicals complex in the proximity to the existing LNG regasification terminal would result in significant savings in the capex and the opex cost of the project.

Implementation of the project is likely to create an opportunity of direct and indirect employment to the tune of 50,000 persons during execution phase and an opportunity of employment of over 20,000 persons during its operational phase ushering in huge socio-economic benefits in the region.

Prime Minister is also laid the foundation stone for Ekta Malls in two states; Gujarat and Maharashtra worth around Rs. 400 crores.

Ekta malls celebrate and support the rich and diverse heritage of Indian handlooms, handicrafts, traditional products and ODOP products. Ekta malls are a symbol of the unity and diversity of India, as well as a catalyst for the development and empowerment of our traditional skills and sectors.

Dedication of newly electrified sections, doubling/multi-tracking of tracks, developments of railways Goods sheds, Workshops, Loco Sheds, Pit lines/Coaching Depots, among others, was also done by the Prime Minister during the program. These projects are a testament to the Government’s dedication to building a modern and robust railway network. This investment will not only improve connectivity but also boost economic growth and create new employment opportunities. DeshGujarat