Bengaluru: PM inaugurates, lays foundation stone of multiple rail and road infrastructure

Bengaluru, June 20, 2022: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 27000 crore in Bengaluru today.

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Centre for Brain Research and laid the foundation Stone for Bagchi Parthasarathy Multispeciality Hospital at IISc Bengaluru. He also inaugurated a new campus of Dr. B R Ambedkar School of Economics (BASE) University and unveiled the statue of Bharat Ratna Dr B. R. Ambedkar in their campus. He also dedicated the upgradation of 150 ITI as Technology hubs.

Governor of Karnataka, Thawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi were among those present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said the foundation stone of 5 National Highway Projects, 7 Railway Projects have been laid in Karnataka and a significant milestone of 100% electrification of Konkan Railway has been witnessed today. All these projects will give new facilities, new opportunities to the youth, middle class, farmers, workers and entrepreneurs of Karnataka.

The Prime Minister said that Bengaluru is a city of dreams for lakhs of youth of the country, the city is a reflection of the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. “Development of Bengaluru is nurturing of lakhs of dreams. That’s why in the last 8 years the central government is relently working to augment the capabilities of Bengluru”

The Prime Minister remarked that the ‘double engine’ government is working on every possible means like strengthening infrastructure like rail, road, metro, underpass, flyover, to get Bengaluru free from traffic jams. He added that his government is committed to connecting the suburban areas of Bengaluru with better connectivity. The Prime Minister said that talk about all these measures was going on for the last four decades and now, with the ‘double engine’ government, people have given the opportunity to complete these projects to the current dispensation. The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to deliver the project in time and said that he will work hard to fulfil the dreams of people of Bengaluru in next 40 months which were pending for the last 40 years.

The Prime Minister said that connectivity by Bengaluru Suburban rail project will connect Bengaluru city with its suburbs and satellite townships and that will have a multiplier effect. Similarly, the Bengaluru Ring Road project will reduce the city’s congestion. 

The Prime Minister pointed out that in the last 8 years the government has worked on complete transformation of rail connectivity. He noted that Indian Railways is getting faster, cleaner, it is becoming modern, safe and citizen friendly. “We have taken the rail to those parts of the country where it was difficult to even think about it. Indian Railways is now trying to provide those facilities and the ambience which was once found only in airports and air travel. Modern railway station in Bengaluru named after Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya is also a direct proof of this”, he said. The Prime MInister stressed the importance of integrated multimodal connectivity. He mentioned that this multimodal connectivity is getting new impetus by PM GatiShakti National Masterplan. He said the upcoming Multimodal Logistics part is part of this vision. Such projects that are being undertaken with the spirit of GatiShakti will give employment to youth and also strengthen the Aatmnirbhar Bharat Campaign, he said.

The Prime Minister said Bengaluru’s Success story inspires 21st century India to become Aatmnirbhar. Bengaluru has shown what Indian youth can do if the government provides facilities and minimizes interference in the lives of citizens. Benguluru is the dream city of the youth of the country and behind it is entrepreneurship, innovation, proper utility of public as well as private sector. He said Bengaluru is a lesson for those who still disrespect the spirit of private enterprise of India. 21st century India, emphasized the Prime Minister, is an India of wealth creators, job creators and innovators. As the youngest nation of the world, this is India’s wealth and strength, he added.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of MSME and said with the change in definition of SME, new avenues of their growth have been thrown open. As a mark of confidence in Aatmnirbhar Bharat, India has done away with foreign participation in contracts upto Rs 200 crore. Central government departments have been directed to make purchase upto 25 percent from MSME. GeM portal, he said, is proving to be a great enabler for the MSME segment.

Referring to huge strides in the startup sector, The Prime Minister said one could count on fingers how many billion dollar companies were created  in earlier decades. But in the last 8 years, more than 100, billion-dollar companies have been created and new companies are being added every month. The Prime Minister informed that while the first 10000 startups took 800 days after 2014 but now this many startups are being added in less than 200 days. Valuation of Unicorns created in the last 8 years is about 12 lakh crore rupees, he informed.

The Prime Minister said that he clearly believed whether the undertaking is government or private, both are the assets of the country, so the level playing field should be given to everyone equally. The Prime Minister invited the youth of the country to test their vision and ideas on the world class facilities that the government is providing. He said that the government is providing platform to the youth who are working hard. Even the government companies will compete on a level playing field, he concluded.

Details of the projects:

Bengaluru Suburban rail project (BSRP) will connect Bengaluru city with its suburbs and satellite townships. The project, which is to be built at a cost of over Rs. 15,700 crore, envisages 4 corridors with a total route length of over 148 Kms. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the redevelopment of Bengaluru Cantt. and Yesvantpur Junction railway station to be developed at a cost of around Rs 500 crore and Rs 375 crore respectively.

During the Programme, the Prime Minister dedicated to the Nation, India’s first Air Conditioned Railway Station – Sir M Visvesvaraya Railway Station at Baiyappanahalli, which is developed on the lines of a modern airport at a total cost of around Rs 315 crore. The Prime Minister also dedicated to the Nation the 100 percent electrification of the Konkan railway line (about 740 Kms) from Roha (Maharashtra) to Thokur (Karnataka) by flagging of Electric trains from Udupi, Madagaon and Ratnagiri. The electrification of  Konkan railway line has been done at a cost of more than 1280 crore. The Prime Minister also dedicated to the Nation two railway line doubling projects : Arsikere to Tumkuru (around 96 km) and Yelahanka to Penukonda (around 120 km) by flagging off passenger trains and MEMU service respectively. The two railway line doubling projects have been developed at a cost of more than Rs 750 crore and Rs 1100 crore respectively.

During the programme, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of two sections of the Bengaluru Ring Road project. The project to be developed at a cost of more than Rs 2280 crore will help reduce traffic congestion in the city. Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of various other road projects : six laning of Nelamangala-Tumkur section of NH-48; widening of Punjalkatte-Charmadi section of NH-73; rehabilitation and upgradation of a section of NH-69. The cumulative cost to be incurred in these projects is about Rs 3150 crore. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Multi Modal Logistics Park, which is being developed at Muddalinganahalli, about 40 km from Bengaluru at a cost of about Rs 1800 crore. It will help in lowering the transportation, handling and secondary freight costs.