Kerala – Narendra Modi inaugurates various development projects in Kerala

PM Modi in traditional Kerala costume

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated various projects including Indian Railways and Kochi Metro which would improve connectivity in Kerala and said these would help boost tourism and trade in the state of south.

The Prime Minister, who is on a two-day visit to the state, inaugurated, laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation, railway and metro projects in the state worth Rs 4,500 crore.

Modi laid the foundation stone of the Kochi Metro Phase-II project, inaugurated its Phase 1A section from SN Junction to Vadakkekotta and also dedicated to the nation the newly electrified section of Indian Railways between Kollam-Punalur which was completed at a cost of Rs 76 crore.

The proposed corridor of Phase II of the Kochi Metro Rail Project from JLN Stadium Metro Station to Infopark, Kakkanad would cover 11.2 km and have 11 stations and with the inauguration of Phase IA, the Kochi would cover at least 27 km with 24 stations, an official statement said.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for three station redevelopment projects worth an estimated Rs. 750 crore rupees and signaled special train services. between Kottayam-Ernakulam and Kollam-Punalur.

Speaking at the event, which was also attended by Kerala Governor Arif Muhammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Prime Minister said the connectivity projects worth Rs 4,500 crore would help improve quality of life and ease of doing business in the state.

Modi noted that Phase II of the Kochi Metro would be a boon for young people and professionals living in the port city.

He also said that a multi-modal connectivity model, the Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority, has been set up in Kochi and it will work to integrate all modes of transportation, such as subway, bus, waterway , etc.

“With this multi-modal connectivity model, the city of Kochi will have three direct benefits. It will reduce travel time for city residents, reduce traffic on the roads and reduce pollution in the city.

“To protect the environment, India has made the colossal pledge of net zero, this will also contribute to that. It will reduce the carbon footprint,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister further said that in the years before the BJP government in the Center, only 250 kilometers (km) of metro network was in place nationwide.

However, over the past eight years, 500 km have been added to this and work was underway to add another 1,000 km to the expanding metro network.

Modi also claimed in his inaugural speech that the Center has invested trillions of rupees in Kerala which will not only help in infrastructure development but also increase job opportunities and boost agriculture and trade in the state.

His claim comes at a time when the LDF Government of Kerala has alleged that the Center is trying to hinder the development of the state and drive it to financial ruin by using the Enforcement Branch to sue the KIIFB and restricting the state’s ability to benefit from free market loans.

Modi said the Center was spending Rs 55,000 crore on widening National Highway 66 to improve connectivity in the state and the doubling of railway tracks in the Kuruppanthara-Kottayam-Chingavanam section led to the entire 634 km stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangaluru in Karnataka becomes fully doubled.

“This (doubling of lanes) would lead to faster and seamless connectivity for the traveling public and especially the thousands of worshipers bound for Lord Ayyappa Shrine in Sabarimala,” he said.

The electrified Kollam-Punalur section will provide a boost to ecotourism in addition to serving as a faster and more affordable means of transport on the scenic route.

He said the connectivity is helping to boost tourism and trade and the central government’s commitment to help Kerala in these sectors is reflected in the loans worth around Rs 70,000 crore provided under of the Mudra program to state contractors.

The redevelopment of the three stations – Ernakulam Town, Ernakulam Junction and Kollam Junction – will ensure that they have airport-like facilities, including state-of-the-art amenities, dedicated arrival/departure corridors, aesthetically designed interiors with amenities for disabled passengers, walkways, spacious car parks and attractive landscapes, he added.

Pinarayi Vijayan, in his welcoming address, expressed his gratitude for the help received from the Center for the Kochi Metro project and said he needed the “valuable” help from the central government to decongest road traffic in the state.

He said the expansion of NH-66 is progressing at a rapid pace and pointed to the benefits of Center-State cooperation.

Vijayan urged the prime minister to endorse the state government’s proposal for the development of the transport sector in Kerala.