Salient points of the joint press conference of BJP National Spokesperson Shri Pratyush Kanth

 

Salient Points of Bharatiya Janata Party National Spokesperson Shri Pratyush Kanth’s Press Conference

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Bharatiya Janata Party National Spokesperson Shri Pratyush Kanth addressed a press conference at the party’s headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. During the press conference, Shri Pratyush Kanth applauded Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the inauguration of India’s first underwater metro railways in Kolkata. Shri Kanth highlighted it as a demonstration of India's technological prowess and noted the widespread and rapid adoption of metro services by the common people in India. Shri Pratyush Kanth emphasized the Central government's policy and its commitment to transparency. He praised the transformative growth of the metro infrastructure, highlighting India's surging engineering capabilities under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Shri Pratyush Kanth commended Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for inaugurating the underwater metro in Kolkata, highlighting it as an engineering marvel showcasing India's technological prowess to the world. Shri Kanth noted the rapid construction of the metro as a testament to India's advanced capabilities, a sentiment echoed by the Prime Minister himself. Since Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi assumed office, he has been closely scrutinized across various sectors including highways, railways, metro, and airports, showcasing India's mastery of engineering techniques. Moreover, extensive preparation and scientific research have been undertaken, bolstering engineering skills and elevating India to a prominent global position. Today, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the underwater metro, a project costing nearly ₹5,000 crore, with the remarkable feature of a 520-meter stretch submerged under high river water. It is noteworthy that this section can be traversed in just 45 seconds when operational.

BJP National spokesperson Shri Pratyush Kanth highlighted that the development in Kolkata has garnered international recognition, with people worldwide acknowledging it as an engineering marvel. Regarding the underwater metro project, Shri Pratyush provided details and informed that out of the total 16.6 km east-west corridor, 10.8 km from Howrah Maidan to Phoolbagan runs under the river before resuming elevation. Kolkata Metro aims to commercialize this section by June-July this year. Praising PM Shri Narendra Modi, Shri Kanth noted that prior to 2014, only 5 states had metro services in 30 years, but under PM Shri Narendra Modi's leadership, 16 new states have launched metro services in the last decade. Additionally, he mentioned the construction of over 700 km of metro lines in the past ten years.

Shri Pratyush Kanth stated that by 2025, metro rail networks will be operational in 27 cities across India under Modi 3.0 government, with plans to construct 2500 km of metro lines. Rapid progress is underway in constructing metro systems in Agra, Bhopal, Meerut, Patna, and Surat, among others. Additionally, cities like Aurangabad, Bhavnagar, Coimbatore, Gorakhpur, Jamnagar, Jammu, Prayagraj, Raipur, Rajkot, and more are being considered for metro projects. India's metro connectivity ranks third globally, poised to surpass other nations soon.

Shri Pratyush Kanth stated that India boasts the world's largest road network after the USA and ranks fourth in railway infrastructure. A significant development occurred with a $2 billion agreement between India and Bahrain in 2023, facilitating the operation of Made in India trains in Bahrain. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is spearheading the construction of four metro lines in Bahrain. Furthermore, collaboration with Israel has led to notable advancements, including DMRC's support in the Bangladesh Metro project in 2021. At present, DMRC is engaged in constructing three metro corridors in Dhaka. DMRC also plays a significant role in Jakarta, Indonesia, as per reports.

Shri Kanth emphasized the transformative impact of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visionary leadership on metro rail connectivity across the nation. Currently, 27 cities have embraced metro rail connectivity, with an operational network spanning 900 kilometers, including the significant 17 kilometers of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS. Shri Kanth highlighted that from 2004 to 2014, only 5 cities had metro connectivity, but now 20 cities have metro connectivity. Only 209 kilometers of metro line were operational before 2014, today, it has been increased by 657 kilometers. Shri Kanth stated that from the construction perspective, prior to 2014, the development of the metro line was 1.7 kilometers, eventually increasing to 6 kilometers, showcasing a marvelous feat achieved in 10 years.

Shri Pratyush Kanth stated that before the Modi government, only 28 lakh people accessed the metro rail facility, but under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi, this number has surged to 1 crore passengers from all sections using the metro for their daily commutes. Shri Kanth noted that the annual outlay for the metro, initially at ₹5,800 crore, has seen a remarkable increase under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi, reaching ₹23,114 crore in FY 2023-24. Similarly, the sanctioned metro rail projects, which were limited to 520 kilometers before 2014, have now experienced substantial growth, totaling an impressive 739.5 kilometers.

National spokesperson stated that the development in the metro under the Modi government was possible due to the Metro Rail Policy implemented in 2017. The Metro Rail Policy highlighted the systematic planning and implementation of the metro rail system, guiding state governments to achieve higher development under the new policy. Standard deviation and indigenous procurement played a crucial role in the Metro Rail Policy of 2017. Shri Kanth highlighted that the stretches of metro rail corporations were commendable. The stretches of the Mumbai Metro line from Andheri to Varni cover 8.8 KM, and from Aarey to Gundawali is 5.8 KM. In Navi Mumbai, the stretch from Bhelpur to Pandharpur is 11.1km. The stretch of the Bangalore metro line from KK Pura to Whitefield is 13.7 KM, while the Pune Metro from Fugwadi to Civil Court spans 6.9 KM. The Delhi metro stretch from Dwarka Sector 25 is 2 km. The Delhi metro RRTS from Shaibabad to Duhai covers an extensive 17 KM. The total stretch sums up to 74.8  km.

Bharatiya Janata Party National Spokesperson Shri Pratyush Kanth stated that the data showcases that what the BJP does is visible in society, as the party believes in a report card policy. Shri Kanth highlighted that the metro rail projects sanctioned by the Central government include the Millennium City Metro projects in Cyber City Gurugram, boasting a total length of 28.5 km and a value of ₹5500 crore. Additionally, the extension of corridor 1st in Pune metro phase-1 was sanctioned with a cost of ₹910 crore. Shri Kanth emphasized that the Nagpur Metro has successfully set a Guinness World Record by constructing the longest double-decker viaduct, measuring 3,140 meters. While concluding, Shri Pratyush Kanth stated that the rapid development in the metro and other sectors showcases that such accomplishments can only be achieved through hard work, strategic policies, and centralized focus.