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New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed Bhoomi Poojan of Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-II and Surat Metro Rail Project via video conference on January 18, 2021. Gujarat Governor, Union Home Minister, Gujarat Chief Minister, and Union Housing & Urban Affairs Minister were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister congratulated Ahmedabad and Surat for the gift of Metro as the service will improve connectivity in the two important business centers of the country. He also congratulated people of Gujarat for new trains and railway lines for Kevadiya including modern Jan Shatabdi from Ahmedabad to Kevadiya. He informed that today work started on infrastructure projects worth Rs 17,000 crore. This shows that even during Corona period, efforts for infrastructure building are gaining momentum.
Terming Ahmedabad and Surat as the cities contributing to Aatamnirbharta, the Prime Minister recalled the excitement when Metro was launched in Ahmedabad and how Ahmedabad had linked its dreams and identity with Metro. The second phase of metro will benefit the people as it will link new areas of the city with this comfortable mode of transport. Similarly, Surat will also experience better connectivity.
PM Modi pointed out the difference in approach between the previous governments and the current one making reference of Metro expansion. He said, as compared to 200 km long Metro line in 10-12 years before 2014, 400 km long Metro line has been operationalised in last 6 years alone. The Government is working on 1000-kilometer new lines in 27 cities, he added.
He lamented the absence of integrated modern thinking earlier. There was no national policy for Metro. As a result, there was no uniformity in technique and systems of Metro in different cities. The second lacuna was absence of linkage with the rest of the transport system of the city. Today transportation is being developed as an integrated system in these cities, in which Metro will not function in isolation but will work as a collective system. This integration will be taken further by the recently launched National Common Mobility card, the PM asserted, according to a PIB release.
Taking the example of Surat and Gandhinagar, the Prime Minister also dwelled on the thinking of the government on urbanisation which is not reactive but proactive and keeps the needs of future in mind. Only two decades ago, Surat was mentioned for it plague epidemic rather than its development. The Government promoted its spirit of entrepreneurial inclusion and toady, Surat is not only 8th largest city of the country- population-wise but also the 4th fastest growing city of the world. Nine out every 10 diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. Similarly, 40 per cent of man-made fabric of the country is made in Surat as about 30 per cent man-made fiber is being produced there. Surat, today, is the second cleanest city of the country.
Similarly, Prime Minister talked about the journey of Gandhinagar, which underwent a transformation from a city of government employees and retirees to a young vibrant city. Today, Gandhinagar is identified by renowned institutes like IIT, National Law University, NIFT, National Forensic Science University, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Indian Institute of Teacher Education, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, National Institute of Design (NID), Raksha Shakti University etc. These institutions have not only transformed education landscape of the city but also brought companies to the campuses increasing the employment avenues in the city, the PM said. He also mentioned Mahatama Mandir which gave a push to conference-tourism.
PM Modi also mentioned that Ahmedabad has been declared ‘World Heritage City’ and is getting a new airport at Dholera. The airport will get connected with Ahmedabad with already-approved Mono-Rail. Work is under progress on Bullet Train connecting Ahmedabad and Surat to the financial capital of the country- Mumbai.
The Prime Minister termed the improvement brought in roads, electricity, water situation in Gujarat over the period of last two decades as an important chapter in the journey of Gujarat’s development.