Railways will be modernised in next eight years, Modi says
PM FLAGS OFF NEW VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS, METRO PURPLE LINE IN KOLKATA
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday virtually inaugurated multiple projects of the Indian Railways in Kolkata. Just a short while after he performed the last rites of his mother Heeraben who passed away early in the morning, PM Modi joined the event at Howrah Railway Station through video conferencing.
Modi said the Central government is making investments to modernise Indian Railways. Modi said that metro routes introduced on Friday will further improve the ease of living of citizens of West Bengal.
“I bow to the holy land of Bengal, where the freedom struggle of India began. We started from Vande Mataram and today we have reached up to Vande Bharat,” he said.
He further said that the in the next eight years, India will see railways on a new journey of modernisation.
New projects
Modi flagged off the HowrahNew Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express and the purple line of the Kolkata Metro. He said that the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri train route will boost connectivity in the North-East sector.
Modi said that the new India is aiming for 475 Vande Bharat trains. “Infrastructure and transport were major limitations to India’s progress. The PM GatiShakti master plan was brought to solve these challenges. It is giving a boost to multimodal connectivity, highways and airports, ensuring seamless connectivity,” he added. He said that the people of Bengal follow the mantra of Nation First even when it comes to tourism.
Huge infrastructure boost
Modi virtually laid the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs 78 billion in West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other leaders present at the event in Howrah.
PM flagged off the Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah to New Jalpaiguri. The train will stop at Malda Town, Barsoi and Bolpur (Shantiniketan) stations enroute on both the directions.
He also inaugurated the Joka-Taratala Stretch of Joka-Esplanade Metro Project (Purple Line). The 6.5km stretch having six stations namely Joka, Thakurpukur, Sakher Bazar, Behala Chowrasta, Behala Bazar and Taratala has been constructed at a cost of more than Rs 24.75 billion.
During the programme, Modi also dedicated four railway projects to the Nation. These include Boinchi - Shaktigarh 3rd Line, developed at a cost of Rs 4 billion ; Dankuni - Chandanpur 4th Line Project, developed at a cost of Rs5.65 billion, Nimtita - New Farakka Double Line, developed at a cost of of Rs2.54 billion; and Ambari Falakata New Maynaguri - Gumanihat Doubling Project developed at a cost of a cost of more than Rs10.8 billion.
He also laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, to be developed at a cost of more than Rs3,35 billion.
Praise for West Bengal
The Prime Minister remembered Bengal’s contribution to the freedom movement and said December 30 is a significant day in history. “On December 30, 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave the clarion call for Independence and raised the Indian flag in the Andamans,” Modi said.
He said that for the cleaning of Adi Ganga river, a modern infrastructure worth more than Rs 6 billion is being prepared.
“The Government is working towards the cleanliness of the river beds and prevention of contamination by modern sewage treatment plants,” he said.