Pune: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said NDA govt had made improving the ease of living and transportation for the urban middle class a priority, citing the expansion of India’s Metro network from 248km in 2014 to around 1,200km now as evidence of the progress made over the past decade.Addressing the gathering virtually after inaugurating Pune Metro’s Line 3 (Pink Line) from Maan to District Court via IT hub Hinjewadi and launching other development projects, Modi said the number of cities with Metro services had increased from five in 2014 to 26 now, with more than one crore people travelling by Metro every day. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and Union minister of state Murlidhar Mohol were present at the inaugural function in Pune with other dignitaries.
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Modi said, “Had the old approach, old governments and old work culture continued, it would have taken several more decades even to think about bringing Metro services to Pune. But in 2014, when the country gave NDA an opportunity to serve, we began with a firm resolve. This resolve was to improve the ease of living and ease of transportation for the middle class living in cities.”Describing Pune as an important centre for IT, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, startups, innovation and manufacturing, Modi said the expanding Metro network would boost the city’s economic growth.“In 2014, India had only 248km of operational Metro lines. Today, the network has expanded to around 1,200km, with Metro services operational in 26 cities. More than one crore passengers travel by Metro every day,” he said, adding that India’s Metro network was among the world’s three largest.In Maharashtra, only 10-11km of Metro lines were operational in 2014. Today, around 200km are operational, while work on more than 680km was underway, he said. Investments exceeding Rs2.5 lakh crore had been made in Metro infrastructure in the state, he said.Modi said Metro projects improved a city’s competitiveness and ease of living by reducing travel time and increasing productivity. “When a city saves time, its productivity increases. When the city’s productivity increases, it gives momentum to the country’s economy. And when the economy grows, both the poor and the middle class benefit,” he said.“This money is reaching workers’ pockets. It is providing employment to engineers and generating jobs in shops and factories,” he said.Referring to Pune Metro, Modi said he had laid the foundation stone for its first phase around 10 years ago. Pink Line would provide better connectivity to one of Pune’s biggest IT hubs, while further expansion would strengthen links between the city’s older and newer areas, he said.Prime Minister also highlighted the public-private partnership (PPP) model adopted for Pink Line, describing it as an example of collaboration between govt and the private sector to accelerate infrastructure development.PMRDA commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari made the introductory presentation. Sunetra Pawar recalled late Ajit Pawar’s contributions to the project. MPs and MLAs from Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad and senior officials, including Maha Metro managing director Shravan Hardikar, PMRDA additional metropolitan commissioner K Manjulakshmi and Pune IT City Metro Rail Ltd CEO Anil Kumar Saini, were present.
