THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: His eyes set on the Lok Sabha elections next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday harped on development, especially in the rail sector, saying railway budget allocation for Kerala has seen a five-fold increase since his government assumed office in 2014. In an apparent reference to the criticism that the Centre was deviating from the federal principles, Modi said his government focuses on “cooperative federalism” and considers the development of states as the development of the country.
“We are working with a service-oriented approach. The nation can progress at a faster rate only if Kerala progresses,” he said, inaugurating various development projects in Thiruvananthapuram.
The projects included the dedication of the Kochi Water Metro and the electrified Dindigul - Palani - Palakkad railway section to the nation and laying of the foundation stone of various rail projects and the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram. Earlier in the day, the PM flagged off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express train between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.
Citing several projects relating to gauge conversion, doubling and electrification of railway tracks that were completed over the past nine years in the state, Modi said work for the redevelopment of major railway stations in Kerala has been initiated with a vision to make them multi-modal transport hubs. Work has been initiated to prepare the Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section for semi-high-speed trains. Upon completion, it will become possible to run semi-high-speed trains from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangaluru, he said.
“Vande Bharat Express is the identity of aspirational India,” he said as he highlighted the transforming rail network in India which makes it possible to run such semi-high-speed trains with ease. The prime minister was all praise for the Kochi Water Metro and the Digital Science Park.
Kochi Water Metro will be a model for other states: PM
The Water Metro will make modern and cheap means of transport accessible to the people living in the islets of Kochi, the PM said. “It will become a model for other states,” he said. Projects like Digital Science Park will give a fillip to Digital India, he said.
Investments made towards connectivity do not discriminate between caste and creed, rich and poor. Such a model of development strengthens the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, he said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan thanked Modi for sanctioning the Vande Bharat train to the state. “I am sure that if the Union and state governments work together with dedication, we can achieve wonders. In the days to come, let us make the development of Kerala a touchstone of cooperative federalism,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the PM was received at the airport by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Pinarayi among other leaders. Modi turned his travel to Thiruvananthapuram Central station into a roadshow as he left his seat and stood on the footboard of the vehicle to greet people thronging both sides of the road.