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PM Modi launches projects of Kochi Metro & Indian Railways in Kochi

Published By : Admin | September 1, 2022 | 18:30 IST
“Modern infrastructure has a big role in this roadmap of developed India”
“We are completely transforming Indian Railways. Today, railway stations in the country are also being developed like airports”
“From agriculture to industries, this modern infrastructure will create new employment opportunities in Kerala”
“Development of tourism in the Amrit Kaal will help a great deal in the development of the country”
​​​​​​​“In Kerala, more than 70 thousand crore rupees have been given to lakhs of small entrepreneurs as part of the Mudra loan scheme”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various projects of Kochi Metro and Indian Railways worth around Rs 4500 crore in Kochi. Earlier today, the Prime Minister visited Shri Adi Shankara Janmabhoomi Kshetram at Kalady village in Kochi.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that every nook and corner of Kerala is filled with the joy of the holy festival of Onam. He congratulated everybody for these projects that enhance the Ease of Living and the Ease of Doing Business. “On this auspicious occasion, Kerala has been gifted with connectivity projects worth more than Rs 4600 crore”, the Prime Minister said.

Remarking on the Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister said that Indians have taken a colossal resolution to build a developed India in the coming 25 years. “Modern infrastructure has a big role in this roadmap of developed India”, he added. The Prime Minister recalled that in 2017, he had the honour of inaugurating the Kochi Metro. Today, the Phase I extension of the Kochi Metro is being inaugurated and the foundation stone for the second phase of the Kochi Metro is also being laid. The Prime Minister said that the second phase of the Kochi Metro is going to be a boon for the youth and professionals. “Impetus-led development is taking place in the entire country when it comes to transport and urban development”, the Prime Minister said.

Remarking on the implementation of The Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority in Kochi, the Prime Minister said that this authority will work to integrate all the modes of transport, such as metro, bus, waterway etc. “With this model of multimodal connectivity, the city of Kochi will have three direct benefits. This will reduce the travel time of the people of the city, reduce the traffic on the roads and reduce the pollution in the city. To protect the environment, India has taken the colossal pledge of net zero, it will also help in that. This will reduce the carbon footprint”, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister reiterated that in the last eight years, the Central Government has continuously worked to make Metro the most prominent mode of urban transport. He also added that the central government has expanded the metro to other big cities of the state, and is not limited just to the capital. The Prime Minister remarked that the first metro in our country ran about 40 years ago and in the next 30 years, merely 250 km of metro routes were added. Emphasising the work done in the last 8 years, the Prime Minister said that more than 500 km of Metro routes have been laid in the country and work on the new route of more than 1000 km is taking place rapidly. “We are completely transforming Indian Railways. Today, railway stations in the country are also being developed like airports”, the Prime Minister added.

Remarking on the long-standing demand of lakhs of devotees, the Prime Minister said it is a joyous occasion for devotees of Sabarimala from across the country and the world who wish to visit the shrine. “The doubling of the Ettumanoor-Chingavanam-Kottayam track will greatly facilitate the darshan of Lord Ayyappa”, the Prime Minister added.

Highlighting the ongoing work in Kerala, the Prime Minister said that different infrastructure projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore are taking place as we speak. “From agriculture to industries, this modern infrastructure will create new employment opportunities in Kerala. The central government is giving a lot of emphasis on the connectivity of Kerala. Our government is also converting NH 66, which is called the lifeline of Kerala, into 6 lanes. More than 55 thousand crore rupees are being spent on this”, the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting the benefits, the Prime Minister said that tourism and trade make the most out of modern and better connectivity. Tourism is such an industry, in which poor, middle class, village, city, everyone joins, everyone earns. “Development of tourism in the Amrit Kaal will help a great deal in the development of the country”, the Prime Minister added.

Highlighting the role of the central government, the Prime Minister said that various incentives for entrepreneurship in the tourism sector are being provided. He said that Mudra scheme is helping the needy with loans up to Rs 10 lakh and that too without a guarantee. The Prime Minister said, “Under this scheme in Kerala, more than 70 thousand crore rupees have been given to lakhs of small entrepreneurs as a helping hand,.”

Remarking on the speciality of Kerala, the Prime Minister said that the care and concern of the people are part of society's life. He said, “A few days back I got the opportunity to inaugurate Maa Amritanandamayi ji's Amrita Hospital in Haryana. I was also blessed to have the blessings of Amritanandamayi Amma who is full of compassion. Today I express my gratitude once again from the soil of Kerala.”

The Prime Minister concluded his address by stressing the basic mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas and that the government is developing the country based on these principles. The Prime Minister pledged to strengthen the path of developed India in the Amrit Kaal.

Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammad Khan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri V Muraleedharan, State Ministers, Shri P Rajeev and Adv Anthony Raju, Member of Parliament, Shri Hibi Eden, and Mayor of Kochi Corporation, Adv M Anilkumar were those present on the occasion.

Details of the projects

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Phase I extension of the Kochi Metro Rail Project from Petta to SN junction. The total cost of the project is over Rs 700 crores. Kochi Metro Rail project will be one of the most sustainable metro projects in the country with nearly 55% of its energy needs being met by solar power. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Phase –II stretch of the Kochi Metro rail project from JLN stadium to Infopark, having a length of 11.2 km and covering 11 stations. The total estimated cost of this project is around Rs. 1,950 crores. The proposed Phase II corridor of the Kochi Metro Rail Project is aimed at catering to the growing transportation needs of Kochi City and is planned in such a way that it connects the District Headquarters, Special Economic Zone and IT Hub of the city with the existing metro rail network. On completion, the combined Phase I and Phase II metro network will link the major residential and commercial hubs in the city with major transit hubs such as railway stations and bus stands, thus reinforcing the concept of multi-modal integration and last-mile connectivity.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation, the doubling of the Kuruppanthara-Kottayam-Chingavanam rail section, completed at the cost of nearly Rs.750 crore. With this, the entire stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangaluru is fully doubled, promising faster and seamless connectivity. Significantly, lakhs of devotees bound for Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Shrine can conveniently alight at Kottayam or Chengannur railway station in the doubled section and proceed by road to Pamba. The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the newly electrified rail section between Kollam – Punalur.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of three railway stations in Kerala – Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Kollam. The total estimated cost of these station redevelopment projects is around Rs. 1050 crores. These railway stations will be equipped with state-of-the-art amenities and world-class facilities such as dedicated arrival/departure corridors, skywalks, solar panels, sewage treatment plants, energy-efficient lighting, rain-water harvesting and intermodal transport facilities.

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Prime Minister’s visit to the United Arab Emirates
May 15, 2026

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates today. He was received at the airport by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and accorded a ceremonial welcome.

The two Leaders held a series of detailed discussions, during which Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s strong condemnation of the attacks on the UAE, as well as its solidarity with leadership and the people of the UAE. Prime Minister also conveyed India’s clear position in favour of ensuring safe transit passage and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for enduring regional peace and stability, as well as energy and food security.

The Leaders also reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and welcomed the deepening of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across multiple sectors, including energy, trade, investment, defense, security, fintech, infrastructure, education, culture and people to people ties. They acknowledged the success of the India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which has led to bilateral trade scaling new heights.

The two Leaders appreciated the vibrant and growing bilateral energy partnership, with the UAE maintaining its role as an important partner in India’s energy security, including in terms of crude oil, LNG and LPG supplies. The Leaders agreed to promote new initiatives for a comprehensive energy partnership. In this context, they welcomed the conclusion of a Strategic Collaboration Agreement between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to enhance UAE’s participation in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves to 30 million barrels, and work together to set up strategic gas reserves in India. They also welcomed the arrangement entered into between Indian Oil Limited (IOCL) Company and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on long-term LPG supplies.

The two Leaders welcomed the announcement of USD 5 billion in investment into India by UAE entities. This includes investment of USD 3 billion by the Emirates New Development Bank (ENDB) in the RBL Bank of India, USD 1 billion by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) with the National Infrastructure & Investment Fund of India (NIIF) in priority infrastructure projects in India, and USD 1 billion by the International Holding Company in Sammaan Capital of India. These investments underscore UAE’s sustained and long-term commitment to India’s growth story, while strengthening the bilateral strategic investment partnership.

The Leaders acknowledged the steady and strong bilateral defence cooperation as an important pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They welcomed the signing of the Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership between the two countries during the visit. Under this, the two sides have agreed on deepening defence industrial collaboration and cooperation on innovation and advanced technology, training, exercises, maritime security, cyber defence, secure communications and information exchange.

The two Leaders also witnessed the conclusion of the following additional documents during the visit, which will further strengthen bilateral cooperation:

· MoU between Cochin Shipyard Limited and Drydocks World, Dubai on setting up Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar, including offshore fabrication, under the Maritime Development Fund Scheme launched by the Government of India.

· Tripartite MoU between Cochin Shipyard Limited, the Drydocks World Dubai and Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding (CEMS) on Skill Development in Ship Repair. This establishes a framework to mobilize, train and employ a skilled maritime workforce, enhances the capabilities of the Indian maritime workforce and position India as a hub for skilled shipbuilding and ship repair professionals.

· Term Sheet for setting up 8 Exaflop Super Compute Cluster in partnership between CDAC, India and G-42, UAE.

The two leaders also welcomed the operationalisation of the Virtual Trade Corridor using MAITRI (Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface interface). This digital framework, connecting customs and port authorities on both sides, will streamline cargo movement and reduce both costs and transit time, thereby enabling more efficient trade flows.

Prime Minister thanked President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to him and invited him to visit India at an early date.