Vadodara : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that development projects worth more than Rs 35,000 crore in Vadodara would give further momentum to the journey towards a Viksit Bharat. He congratulated the people of the city for their participation in the ‘Swachhata Se Swagat’ campaign.
The Prime Minister laid foundation stones and inaugurated development projects worth more than Rs 35,000 crore, including three key sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), railway projects, highway projects and Gujarat government projects.
Addressing the 'NaMo for Viksit Bharat' event in Vadodara, PM Modi said, "Today I have come amongst you to impart even greater momentum to the journey towards a Viksit Bharat. A short while ago here, foundation stones were laid and projects worth thousands of crores of rupees connected to the nation's development were dedicated to the nation.”
“I extend my heartiest congratulations to the citizens of our country. On this festival of development, with the spirit of selfless service through which all of you conducted the 'Swachhata Se Swagat' campaign across the entire city of Vadodara—for this, from the bottom of my heart, I extend my warmest congratulations and highest praise to every single citizen of Vadodara. This year, from the Red Fort, I called for a 'Saptadhara'—a seven-fold resolve—for a 'Viksit Bharat'. One of these seven streams is 'Gati Shakti'..." he further said.
PM Modi said the completion of the over 2,800-kilometre Dedicated Freight Corridor was a “historic milestone” for 21st-century India and stressed the need for faster and convenient connectivity for a Viksit Bharat. He said the Dedicated Freight Corridor reflects the transformation in the country's work culture over the past 12 years, recalling that the project was conceived in 2004 but progress remained slow until 2014.
"For a Viksit Bharat, we need connectivity that is not only convenient but also fast enough to keep pace with the times. Vadodara is the home of the Gati Shakti University. Today, the final links of the Dedicated Freight Corridor have also been connected from here. The Dedicated Freight Corridor project, spanning over 2,800 kilometres, has been completed today. A truly historic milestone has been achieved for 21st-century India,” the Prime Minister said.
“This Dedicated Freight Corridor is a testament to how the country's work culture has transformed over the past 12 years. The idea for this Dedicated Freight Corridor began in 2004. In 2006, a special company was established to carry out this work, and until 2014, files just kept shuffling from one place to another. Unfortunately, see that even these files weren't fortunate enough to get a dedicated corridor. Files would get stuck, hang around, wander aimlessly,” he said.