Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited Jammu and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects including education, aviation, road, railway, health, and petroleum worth over Rs 32,000 crore.
He was received by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Jitendra Singh received PM Modi at the Jammu technical airport.
During the public address at Maulana Azad Stadium PM Modi said, "I have full faith in you and we will make 'Viksit Jammu and Kashmir.' Your dreams of 70 years will be fulfilled by Modi in the coming years. Earlier, only disappointing news of bombs, kidnappings and separation used to come from Jammu and Kashmir, but now Jammu and Kashmir is developing and moving forward."
"Jammu and Kashmir had to bear the brunt of dynastic politics for decades. They are only concerned about their families, not about your interests, your families...I am happy that Jammu and Kashmir is getting freedom from this dynastic politics," he said.
"In December 2013, when I had participated in BJP's Lalkar rally here, I raised the question of why educational institutions like IIT and IIM cannot be built in Jammu. We fulfilled those promises and today there is IIT and IIM in Jammu. That is why people 'Modi ki guarantee yani guarantee pura hone ki guarantee," he said.
"Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government has removed it. Now Jammu and Kashmir is moving towards overall development...Because of the abrogation of Article 370, I have asked people to help BJP win 370 seats and NDA win 400 seats in elections," PM Modi said.
He also presented appointment letters to 1500 newly recruited government officials in Jammu and Kashmir and met with beneficiaries of different initiatives as part of the 'Viksit Bharat, Viksit Jammu' campaign.
PM Modi also flagged the valley's first electric train as well as the train services between Sangaldan station and Baramulla station. The inauguration of the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section holds importance as it incorporates the use of Ballast Less Track (BLT) throughout the entire route, ensuring an enhanced travel experience for passengers. Additionally, India's longest transportation tunnel T-50, spanning 12.77 kilometres, lies in this portion between Khari-Sumber.
Northern Railway Senior PRO Rajesh Khare while talking about the Srinagar- Sangaldan Rail Section inaugurated by PM Modi said, "The 90% part of the 48 km section is in tunnels...There is a tunnel, 12.77 km, it is the longest of all... Electrification has been done. The trains will run on electric energy."
AIIMS Jammu spans over 227 acres and has been established at a cost of over Rs 1660 crore at Jammu's Vijaypur. The state-of-the-art hospital is equipped with 720 beds, a medical college with 125 seats, an AYUSH Block with 30 beds, a nursing college with 60 seats, 18 Specialities and 17 Super Specialities, 20 Modular Operation Theatres, Emergency & Trauma Unit, and Intensive Care Unit among various other facilities.
Besides the inauguration of IIM and AIIMS Jammu, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for a new terminal building spreading over 40,000 sqm at the Jammu Airport. The building will be equipped with modern facilities and cater to 2000 passengers during peak hours.
He also dedicated to the nation various rail projects in Jammu & Kashmir including the newly electrified Baramulla-Sringar-Banihal-Sangaldan section and a new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone of a Common User Facility Petroleum depot at Jammu which will be developed at a cost of Rs 667 crore.
Several packages for boosting economic development, reducing traffic congestion, improving connectivity to popular tourist destinations, reducing time travel, and boosting the overall road infrastructure of the region will also be commissioned by PM Modi.
ALSO READ: PM Modi Inaugurates 3 IIMs, IITs, 20 KVs And 13 Navodaya Vidyalayas