The Pragati Maidan corridor has been built at an expense of more than Rs 920 crore, funded totally by the central government. It is aimed toward giving smooth access to the new exhibition and convention center being developed at Pragati Maidan.
It was the “misfortune” of the country that good work gets mired in politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while inaugurating the much awaited Pragati Maidan tunnel and five underpasses on Sunday.
“Last year, I had the oppotunity to inaugrate the Defense Office Complex. Hamare desh ka durbhagya hai ki bahut si achchhi cheezen, achchhe uddeshya se ki gayi cheezen, rajneeti ke rang mein phans jati hai (It is our country’s misfortune that a lot of good things, well meaning things, get mired in politics),” he said, talking about the two complexes inaugurated last year.
The Pragati Maidan corridor has been built at an expense of more than Rs 920 crore, funded totally by the central government. It is aimed at providing smooth access to the new exhibition and convention center being developed at Pragati Maidan.
“Developing a integrated transit corridor in such a short time was not easy. This stretch, where the tunnels and underpasses have been built, is one of the most active and most heavily congested routes of Delhi. It sees lakhs of vehicles everyday, and the tunnel has been built under seven active railway tracks. This project faced many troubles, yet was completed,” Modi said.
New projects as often as possible face criticism, he said. “Hamare desh mein kuchh bhi kaam karo toh judiciary ke darwaze khatkhatane waalon ki bhi kami nahin hai, har cheez mein adangaa daalne wale log to hote hi hain. Anek mushkilen paida hoti hain desh ko aage le jane mein. Is project ko bhi waisi hi kathinayion se guzarna pada. (Whenever you attempt to accomplish something in our country, there is no shortage of individuals who will move courts, erect obstacles in the way. Numerous issues emerge in the approach to taking the nation forward. This project too faced difficulties.)” Modi said. “But this is new India, it resolves issues, takes pledges, and it makes all efforts to fulfill those pledges.”
The re-development of Pragati Maidan was proposed when the Congress was in power, however yet it stayed on paper, Modi said. “The central government is constantly working on state-of-the-art facilities and exhibition halls to organize world-class events. An international convention and expo center is being constructed in Dwarka. These projects are an example in themselves,” he said.
“Last year I had the opportunity to inaugurate four exhibition halls, and today this connectivity… Kendra sarkar dwara karaaye jaane waale aadhunik nirman desh ki rajdhani ki tasveer hi nahin, taqdeer bhi badal rahe hain… (The development of Delhi that has been undertaken by the central government will change not only the face of the capital, but also its destiny),” Modi said.
The central government’s push to develop and modernize is aimed toward giving simplicity of living to the residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the PM said. All the development work that is being finished or would be finished in the future should be environment-friendly,” he said.