January 5, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated his government’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and making travel more convenient in Delhi, ahead of the inauguration and foundation-laying ceremony of several key infrastructure projects. In a post shared on X, the Prime Minister expressed his excitement for the initiatives, which aim to improve transportation options and ease commutes for Delhi residents and visitors.
PM Modi wrote: “We are committed to expanding regional connectivity in Delhi as well as making travel convenient. In this series, I will have the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many projects today at around 12:15 pm. Before this, I will inaugurate the Sahibabad-Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat Corridor.”
These remarks came just ahead of the inauguration of the Sahibabad-Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat Corridor — a critical project aimed at improving connectivity between Delhi and surrounding regions.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several major development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore. These include the 13 km stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor, which will provide high-speed, comfortable travel between Delhi and Meerut. The project is estimated at Rs 4,600 crore and will benefit millions by enhancing regional connectivity with safety, reliability, and speed.
PM Modi will also undertake a symbolic ride in the Namo Bharat Train, travelling from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station at around 11:15 AM. This will mark a significant milestone in the regional connectivity effort, particularly for the Delhi NCR region.
Another major highlight is the Delhi Metro Phase-IV projects. PM Modi will inaugurate the 2.8 km stretch between Janakpuri and Krishna Park, marking the first operational stretch of Phase-IV of the Delhi Metro. This stretch is valued at around Rs 1,200 crore and will benefit areas in West Delhi, such as Janakpuri, Vikaspuri, and Krishna Park.
Additionally, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for the 26.5 km Rithala-Kundli section of Delhi Metro Phase-IV, valued at Rs 6,230 crore. This extension will connect Rithala in Delhi to Nathupur (Kundli) in Haryana, significantly enhancing connectivity in North-West Delhi and parts of Haryana. Key areas such as Rohini, Bawana, Narela, and Kundli will benefit, improving access to residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Once operational, the corridor will improve cross-border travel between Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
PM Modi will also lay the foundation for the construction of a new state-of-the-art building for the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) at Rohini, New Delhi, costing around Rs 185 crore. This facility will offer cutting-edge healthcare and medicine infrastructure, with spaces for administrative offices, outpatient and inpatient departments, and treatment blocks, providing an integrated experience for both patients and researchers.
The culmination of these projects is part of the government’s broader efforts to transform Delhi’s infrastructure and expand the metro network, which has already surpassed 1,000 kilometers in length, making it the third-largest metro network in the world. India’s metro network surpassed Japan in 2022 in terms of metro rail project length. Today, 23 cities in 11 states have metro rail networks, compared to just 5 cities in 5 states in 2014.
These initiatives will not only help reduce travel time but also play a vital role in enhancing connectivity, boosting economic activity, and improving the overall quality of life for millions of people in the national capital and beyond.