Infrastructure development should be kept above politics: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (December 29, 2020) inaugurated the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section and the Operation Control Centre of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and said that infrastructure development should be kept above politics.

During his video conference address, PM Narendra Modi said, "The development of the country's infrastructure should be kept away from politics. Country's infrastructure should be a mission to benefit many generations, not 5 years of politics. If political parties have to compete, there should be competition in the quality of infrastructure, competition on speed and scale." 

PM Modi said that infrastructure is the biggest source of any nation's strength.

"As India is moving fast towards the path of becoming a big economic power, then the best connectivity is the priority of the country. The Government is working on every aspect of modern connectivity for the last six years with this in mind," stated PM. 

He said that the Centre is focussing on the five wheels of highways, railways, airways, waterways and i-ways and that Tuesday's inauguration of a large section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor is a big step in this direction.

Prime Minister Modi expressed happiness on seeing the modern rail infrastructure project getting implemented on the ground and said today when the first goods train runs in the Khurja Bhaupur freight corridor, we can hear the roar of self-reliant India. 

He said that the Prayagraj Operation Control center is one of the modern control centers and a symbol of the new strength of the new India.

The Prime Minister stressed on the need for these dedicated freight corridors and said that as the population grew, the economy grew, the demand on freight increased manifold. 

He said since both Passenger trains and Goods trains ply on the same track, the speed of the goods train is slow. "When the speed of the goods train is slow, and there is an interruption in place, obviously the cost of transportation will be high. Being expensive, our products lose the competition in our markets of the country as well as abroad," he said. 

PM Modi added that the Dedicated Freight Corridor was planned to change this situation. 

Notably, initially, two Dedicated Freight Corridors were planned. Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni. This route has coal mines, Thermal power plants and industrial cities. Feeder routes are also being made for these. Western Dedicated Freight Corridor from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust to Dadri. In this corridor, ports like Mundra, Kandla, Pipavav, Dawri and Hazira would be served through feeder routes. 

"The Industrial corridor of Delhi-Mumbai and Amritsar-Kolkata are being developed around both these Freight Corridor. He said similarly North to south and east to west Corridors are also being planned," noted PM Modi.

PM Modi also advised against damaging public property during demonstrations and movements and urged citizens not to forget one's obligation to the nation while expressing their democratic right.