The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore in Delhi. The key focus of projects is to enhance regional connectivity and ensure ease of travel. The Prime Minister also undertook a ride in Namo Bharat Train from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station.
Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister remarked that today, Delhi-NCR has received a significant gift from the Government of India and added that India's urban mobility has expanded further. Recalling his earlier ride during the day from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar on the Namo Bharat train, which showcases the future of public transport in developed Indian cities, Shri Modi said that he interacted with many youngsters, who were filled with joy and hope. The Prime Minister emphasized that once the Namo Bharat project is completed, there will be a significant change in traffic on the Delhi-Meerut route. He extended his heartfelt congratulations to the people of Delhi-NCR.
“Today marks another significant milestone in India's modern infrastructure journey”, remarked Shri Modi. He highlighted that India's metro network has now reached 1,000 kilometers and lauded it as a remarkable achievement. He noted that in 2014, when the country gave them the opportunity, India was not even in the top ten globally in terms of metro connectivity and however, over the past ten years, India has become the third-largest country in the world in terms of metro network. The Prime Minister emphasized that during the current tenure of their government, India will have the second-largest metro network in the world.
The Prime Minister remarked that before 2014, India's metro network was only 248 kilometers and limited to just five cities. He highlighted that in the past ten years, over 752 kilometers of new metro lines have been inaugurated in India. He further added that today, metro services are operational in 21 cities across the country, with over 1,000 kilometers of metro routes currently under rapid development.
Noting the expansion of the Delhi Metro, with the inauguration and foundation laying of two new routes, Shri Modi emphasized that after Gurgaon, another part of Haryana is now being connected to the metro network. He added that the Rithala-Narela-Kundli corridor will be one of the largest sections of the Delhi Metro network, strengthening connectivity between key industrial centers in Delhi and Haryana, and making commuting easier for people. The Prime Minister was pleased that, due to the continuous efforts of the Government of India, the metro routes in Delhi are steadily increasing and remarked that in 2014, the total metro network in Delhi-NCR was less than 200 kilometers, and today it has more than doubled.
“Over the past decade, the government's primary focus has been on infrastructure development”, said Shri Modi. He noted that ten years ago, the budget for infrastructure was around ₹2 lakh crore, which has now increased to over ₹11 lakh crore. He added that emphasis has been on modern connectivity, particularly within cities and connecting one city to another. The Prime Minister mentioned that expressways are now emerging from Delhi to various cities, and Delhi is being connected to industrial corridors. He remarked that in the NCR, a large multi-modal logistics hub is being developed, and two freight corridors are converging in Delhi-NCR. Shri Modi highlighted that these projects were contributing to the country's economic growth and providing employment opportunities for the youth. “Modern infrastructure is helping to ensure a dignified and quality life for everyone, including the poor and the middle class”, he added.
Emphasising the Government’s focus on making healthcare accessible to the poorest of the poor, the Prime Minister remarked that the Government is also promoting traditional Indian medicine systems like AYUSH and Ayurveda. He added that over the past decade, the AYUSH system has expanded to more than 100 countries. Shri Modi highlighted that the first World Health Organization (WHO) institution related to traditional medicine is being established in India. He added that a few weeks ago, he inaugurated the second phase of the All India Institute of Ayurveda. Shri Modi remarked that today, the foundation stone for the Central Ayurveda Research Institute has been laid and extended his special congratulations to the people of Delhi for this achievement.
“India has immense potential to become the world's health and wellness capital”, stressed the Prime Minister. He remarked that the day is not far when, along with "Make in India," the world will also adopt "Heal in India" as a mantra. He added that to facilitate foreign citizens in availing AYUSH treatments in India, a special AYUSH visa facility has been introduced and in a short span, hundreds of foreign nationals have benefited from this facility. The Prime Minister concluded his speech by expressing confidence that these efforts by the Government of India will take Delhi to new heights of development.
The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Shri Vinay Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms. Atishi were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Background
Marking a significant milestone in enhancing regional connectivity, Prime Minister will inaugurate the 13 km stretch of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar, worth around Rs 4,600 crore. With this inauguration, Delhi will get its first Namo Bharat connectivity. This will significantly ease travel between Delhi and Meerut and will benefit millions of people through high-speed and comfortable travel along with unmatched safety and reliability.
Prime Minister also inaugurated the 2.8 km stretch between Janakpuri and Krishna Park of Delhi Metro Phase-IV worth around Rs 1,200 crore. This will be the first stretch of Delhi Metro Phase-IV to be inaugurated. The areas of West Delhi such as Krishna Park, parts of Vikaspuri, Janakpuri among others will be benefitted.
Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of 26.5 km Rithala - Kundli section of Delhi Metro Phase-IV, worth around Rs 6,230 crore. This corridor will connect Rithala in Delhi to Nathupur (Kundli) in Haryana, significantly enhancing connectivity in the North-Western parts of Delhi and Haryana. Key areas to benefit include Rohini, Bawana, Narela, and Kundli, improving access to residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Once operational, it will facilitate travel across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh through the extended Red Line.
Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the new state-of-the-art building for the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) at Rohini, New Delhi, to be constructed at the cost of around Rs 185 crore. The campus will provide state of art healthcare and medicine infrastructure. The new building will house the Administrative Block, the OPD Block, the IPD Block, and a dedicated Treatment Block, ensuring an integrated and seamless healthcare experience for patients and researchers alike.
