Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 112 National Highway projects spread across the country worth about Rs 1 lakh crore at Gurugram, Haryana today.
On dedicating the Haryana section of the landmark Dwarka Expressway, PM Modi said that this will change the travel experience between Delhi and Haryana forever and “will shift gear not just in the vehicles but also in the lives of the people of the region”.
Emphasising the change of speed in the implementation of projects, the Prime Minister said that in less than three months of 2024, projects worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore have been either dedicated to the nation or a foundation stone has been laid for them. Today, more than 100 projects worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore include development projects from Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradeshi in South, from the North, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana related development works are there, East is represented by projects from Bengal and Bihar whereas, from West, major projects from Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan are there. Today’s projects include an increase of 540 kilometer in Amritsar Bhatinda Jamnagar Corridor and development of Bengaluru Ring Road, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister cited the example of the Dwarka Expressway as a testament to his government’s commitment to transforming obstacles into avenues for growth. He reminisced how, in the past, the area where the expressway is now built was considered unsafe, with people avoiding it even after sunset. However, today, it serves as a hub for major corporations, contributing to the rapid development of the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Prime Minister highlighted the strategic importance of the Dwarka Expressway, connecting it to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. He emphasized that such infrastructure projects enhance connectivity, leading to accelerated economic activities and improved integration of the NCR.
Further, Prime Minister Modi praised the efforts of the Haryana government, particularly Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, in ensuring the timely completion of infrastructure projects. He commended their dedication to modernizing the state’s infrastructure, which is crucial for Viksit Haryana and Viksit Bharat.
The Prime Minister reiterated his government’s holistic vision for infrastructure development in the Delhi-NCR region. He emphasized the timely completion of major projects such as the Dwarka Expressway, Peripheral Expressways, and the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. These projects, along with the expansion of metro lines and the construction of international airports, are aimed at easing traffic congestion and reducing pollution in the region. “The 21st Century India is India of big vision and big goals”, the Prime Minister asserted.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised the link between infrastructure development and poverty alleviation, highlighting how improved roads and digital connectivity in rural areas create new opportunities for villagers. He noted the emergence of new possibilities in rural India, driven by digital infrastructure and access to essential services like healthcare and education. “Initiatives like this have helped in pulling 25 crore Indians out of poverty in the last 10 years and India has become the 5th largest global economy,” he further added. “This rapid infrastructure construction work in the country will make India the third largest economic power in the world.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the government’s commitment to accelerating infrastructure development across India. He emphasised that such initiatives not only strengthen the country’s economy but also create numerous employment opportunities, particularly for the youth.
The Prime Minister mentioned many long pending projects completed by the present government such as Eastern Peripheral Expressway (announced in 2008 completed in 2018), Dwarka Expressway too was stuck for the last 20 years. “Today, whatever work our government lays the foundation stone of, it works equally hard to complete it on time. And then we do not see whether there are elections or not”, he said. Projects like lakhs of kilometres of optic fibers in the villages, airports in small cities, and ruler roads, have been completed, irrespective of the election time, he said.
The Prime Minister said “Earlier there were delays, now there are deliveries. Earlier there was a delay, now there is development.” He said that focus is on creating a 9 thousand KM high speed corridor out of which 4 thousand KM is already constructed. Metro reached 21 cities as compared to 5 cities in 2014. “This work is done with the vision of development. These things happen when the intentions are right. This pace of development will increase manifold in the next 5 years”, the Prime Minister concluded.
Governor of Haryana Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister Manohar Lal, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Rao Inderjit Singh, Krishan Pal, Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana, Dushayant Chautala were among those present on the occasion.