Modi to inaugurate projects worth Rs 75,000 cr in Maharashtra

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra on Sunday to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth Rs 75,000 crores.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, PM Modi will inaugurate Phase-I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, covering a distance of 520 Kms and connecting Nagpur and Shirdi. Samruddhi Mahamarg or Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway project is a major step towards realising Prime Minister's vision of improved connectivity and infrastructure across the country. "The 701 Km expressway - being built at a cost of about Rs 55,000 crore - is one of India's longest expressways, passing through Maharashtra's 10 districts and prominent urban regions of Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik. The expressway will also help improve the connectivity of adjoining 14 other districts, thus helping in the development of about 24 districts of the state including the regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra," the PMO said in a statement.

Espousing the Prime Minister's vision of integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects under PM Gati Shakti, the Samruddhi Mahamarg will connect to the Delhi Mumbai Expressway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and tourist locations like Ajanta Ellora Caves, Shirdi, Verul, Lonar, etc. Samruddhi Mahamarg will be a game-changer in providing a major boost to the economic development of Maharashtra.

In yet another step that will revolutionise urban mobility, Prime Minister will dedicate 'Nagpur Metro Phase I' to the nation. He will flag off two metro trains - from Khapri to Automotive Square (Orange Line) and from Prajapati Nagar to Lokmanya Nagar (Aqua line) - at Khapri Metro Station. Phase I of the Nagpur Metro is developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro Phase- II, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.

Prime Minister's commitment to strengthen health infrastructure across the country will be strengthened through the dedication of AIIMS Nagpur to the nation.

The Hospital, whose foundational stone was also laid by the Prime Minister in July 2017, has been established under the Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.

"AIIMS Nagpur, being developed at a cost of more than Rs 1575 crore, is a hospital with state-of-the-art facilities, with OPD, IPD, diagnostic services, Operation theatres and 38 departments covering all major speciality and superspeciality subjects of Medical Science. The hospital provides modern health care facilities to the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and is a boon to the surrounding tribal areas of Gadchiroli, Gondia and Melghat," it said. At Nagpur Railway station, Prime Minister will flag off Vande Bharat Express that will run between Nagpur and Bilaspur.

At the public function in Nagpur, he will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Nagpur Railway Station and Ajni Railway Station, to be redeveloped at a cost of about Rs 590 crore and Rs 360 crore respectively. Prime Minister will dedicate Government Maintenance Depot, Ajni (Nagpur) and Kohli-Narkher Section of Nagpur- Itarsi Third line project to the Nation. These projects have been developed at a cost of about Rs 110 crore and about Rs 450 crore respectively. The laying of the foundation stone for the National Institute of One Health (NIO), Nagpur by the Prime Minister is a step towards building capacity and infrastructure in the country under the 'One Health' approach.

'One Health' approach recognises that the health of human beings is connected to the health of animals and the environment. This approach appreciates that most of the contagious diseases affecting humans are zoonotic (animal to human) in nature. The institute - to be established at a cost of more than Rs 110 crore - will collaborate and coordinate with all stakeholders and act as a catalyst to improve the research and capacity building in 'One Health' approach across the country. Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of the project for pollution abatement of river Nag at Nagpur. The project - under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) - will be operationalised at a cost of more than Rs 1925 crore.

"The prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease in the Vidarbha region, especially in the tribal population is comparatively high. The disease along with other haemoglobinopathies like thalassemia and HbE cause a significant disease burden in the country. To address this issue, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the 'Centre for Research, Management and Control of Haemoglobinopathies, Chandrapur', in February 2019.

Prime Minister will now dedicate to the nation the Centre, which is envisaged to become a Centre of Excellence for innovative research, technology development, human resource development, in the field of haemoglobinopathies, in the country," it said. Prime Minister will dedicate the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Chandrapur to the Nation. The institute aims to develop skilled human resources to meet the requirements of the polymer & allied industries.