PM Modi inaugurates Pune Metro section, lays foundation stone of Rs 11,200 cr projects in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pic/PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various projects of Rs 11,200 crore in Maharashtra via video conference.

His visit to Pune scheduled on September 26 was cancelled due to heavy rains in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Pune Metro section from District Court to Swargate, which also marks the completion of the Pune Metro Rail Project (Phase-1).

The cost of the underground section between District Court to Swargate is around Rs 1,810 crore, as per officials.

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for Swargate-Katraj extension of the Pune Metro Phase-1 to be developed at the cost of around Rs 2,955 crore.

This southern extension of 5.46 km is completely underground with three stations, namely Market Yard, Padmavati and Katraj, according to officials.

PM Modi also inaugurated Bidkin Industrial Area, a transformative project covering an expansive 7,855 acres under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program, situated 20 km south of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra.

The project developed under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor holds immense potential as a vibrant economic hub in the Marathwada region, the officials said.

The central government has approved this project with an overall project cost of more than Rs 6,400 crore for development in three phases, they said.

PM Modi also inaugurated the Solapur Airport, which would significantly improve connectivity, making Solapur more accessible to tourists, business travellers and investors.

The existing terminal building of Solapur has been revamped to serve nearly 4.1 lakh passengers annually, the officials said.

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for the memorial of Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule's first girls' school at Bhidewada.

Earlier, PM Modi's visit to Pune on Thursday was cancelled due to heavy rains in the city. He was to flag off the Pune Metro corridor and launch other development projects, ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections.

Hours after the PM's Pune visit was cancelled on Thursday, NCP (SP) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule had suggested that PM Modi should go for the online inauguration of the Metro line, saying he has inaugurated the "same" project five times in the past, reported PTI.

"It is very unfortunate that we have missed PM Modi's visit. It is Maharashtra's culture to welcome a guest. I want to bring it to the PMO's notice that it would be the sixth time the same Pune Metro project would have been inaugurated," said the MP from Baramati in Pune district, reported PTI.

"So I request the PM to inaugurate Pune Metro online...it is the same project he had inaugurated five times in the past...it will help the people of the Pune city and the inauguration must not wait for the next visit of the PM," Sule added, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)