Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on Friday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for rail and road infrastructure projects worth Rs 5,470 crore in Jalandhar. The projects are aimed at improving connectivity, enhancing passenger convenience and boosting economic growth across the region.
The visit will be Modi's second trip to Jalandhar this year after his visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan in February. Security has been tightened ahead of the programme, with Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav reviewing arrangements at Jalandhar Cantonment railway station. The district administration has also declared a no-flying zone over the city.
PM Modi's schedule
Before arriving in Jalandhar, the Prime Minister will visit Chandigarh to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for healthcare and infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 4,700 crore.
The projects include a 300-bed Advanced Mother and Child Centre, an Advanced Neurosciences Centre at PGIMER, and the foundation stone for a 150-bed Critical Care Block under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
Railway stations to get a major upgrade
In Jalandhar, Modi will inaugurate 75 redeveloped railway stations built under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of around Rs 1,570 crore.
Developed around the theme of "Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi," the stations incorporate local heritage and architectural styles while offering modern passenger facilities.
Among the stations being inaugurated are Jalandhar Cantonment, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Sri Muktsar Sahib and Sri Anandpur Sahib.
New rail line and train services in Punjab
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Daulatpur Chowk-Kartoli rail line, constructed at a cost of about Rs 830 crore as part of the Nangal Dam-Talwara-Mukerian rail project.
The new line is expected to strengthen rail connectivity between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh while improving access to important religious destinations such as Anandpur Sahib and the Maa Chintpurni Temple.
Modi will also flag off two new train services:
- Kartoli-Ambala, connecting Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
- Amritsar-Varanasi, linking two of India's major spiritual centres.
Road projects worth over Rs 3,000 crore
The Prime Minister will inaugurate a newly built 30.9-km stretch of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and lay the foundation stone for the 25.2-km Southern Ludhiana Bypass.
Together, the two road projects are worth more than Rs 3,070 crore and are expected to reduce travel time, ease congestion and improve the movement of passenger as well as commercial vehicles.
The visit comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gears up to contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections on its own.
Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon said the railway modernisation projects reflect Prime Minister Modi's vision of making India a leading global power, with Punjab expected to play a key role in the country's development trajectory.
