Chandigarh, July 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described Chandigarh not just as a city, but as a model of development in healthcare, education and connectivity.
“Chandigarh is known for its planned development, better lifestyle and ease of living. Chandigarh is also recognised for its excellent healthcare facilities. Above all, it is blessed by Maa Chandi. That is why the development of Chandigarh has always been a priority for the NDA government,” PM Modi said after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for development projects of Rs 4,700 crore.
Highlighting the major reforms in the past 12 years by the BJP-led NDA government, PM Modi told the gathering, “We replaced the colonial-era penal laws with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita also began in Chandigarh. Over the past few years, several projects, including the Integrated Command and Control Centre, smart traffic management, smart parking and digital governance initiatives, have been undertaken to make Chandigarh a high-tech city. More than Rs 2,500 crore has been spent under this mission. Today, several new development projects related to healthcare, education and infrastructure are also being launched here. I congratulate the people of Chandigarh on these initiatives.”
The Prime Minister said the healthcare, education and road infrastructure projects in and around Chandigarh will also improve the ease of living for residents of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir because it connects the entire region.
Recalling his regular visits to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) here, PM Modi said when he stayed in the city, he used to visit the PGI as patients from Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana frequently came here for treatment. “I remember visiting PGI Chandigarh in 2015 to attend its convocation ceremony. I am delighted that today, even though virtually, I have the opportunity to reconnect with many of my old colleagues there,” he said.
“Over the past decade, the PGI has significantly expanded its capabilities. I commend the management of the PGI, its professors and its young doctors for their outstanding work, and extend my best wishes to them,” he said.
PM Modi said that today the number of medical colleges in the country has nearly doubled, and there has been a record increase in MBBS and postgraduate medical seats.
He laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects. The inaugurated projects were the advanced neuroscience centre and mother and child centre at the PGIMER, a multipurpose auditorium at Panjab University’s South Campus in Sector 25 and road infrastructure projects in the tricity region, comprising Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.
Before reaching here, PM Modi launched the country’s first 10-coach hydrogen-powered train named NaMo Green Rail and several projects worth Rs 14,700 crore, strengthening connectivity, healthcare and cultural heritage, from Haryana’s Jind.
Accompanying Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, PM virtually inaugurated PGI’s Advanced Mother and Child Centre that has been designed to provide comprehensive tertiary healthcare services for high-risk pregnancies, critically ill newborns and children requiring specialised treatment.
Equipped with 300 beds and state-of-the-art medical facilities, the centre will significantly strengthen maternal and child healthcare services and benefit thousands of families across the region.
The Advanced Neurosciences Centre will provide integrated services in neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-critical care and advanced diagnostic facilities under one roof. It will ensure timely and world-class treatment for patients suffering from complex neurological disorders while strengthening medical research, education and training in neurosciences.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of a 150-bed state-of-the-art Critical Care Block under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) in PGI.
The facility will significantly enhance emergency preparedness, intensive care services and disaster response capabilities while strengthening the overall healthcare infrastructure of the region.
PM Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several infrastructure projects pertaining to educational institutions in Chandigarh.
These include the inauguration of Kurukshetra Boys Hostel and Mess at Punjab Engineering College, the Hostel Block in the Government College in Sector 46 and the foundation stone of Research Scholars' Hostel in Punjab Engineering College.
These facilities will strengthen academic infrastructure, improve residential facilities for students and researchers, and create a better environment for higher education.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of major road infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity in the region.
He inaugurated the six-lane Greenfield Highway from IT City to Kurali in Mohali district, an important infrastructure project for the region. The highway will reduce travel time between Mohali, Kharar and Kurali while providing improved connectivity for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the PR-7 Spur of the Ambala-Chandigarh Greenfield Highway (NH-205A), a 10.3-km Greenfield corridor that will enable long-distance traffic to bypass the urban areas of Zirakpur and connect the Zirakpur Bypass directly to Aerocity on the outskirts of Chandigarh.
--IANS
