Jalandhar/Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station during his visit to Punjab and later launched development projects worth more than ₹4,700 crore in Chandigarh.
Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw accompanied the Prime Minister at the inauguration of the railway station.
The upgraded Jalandhar Cantt station has been equipped with modern passenger amenities, including air-conditioned waiting halls, escalators, lifts, digital lockers, enhanced security systems and facilities for persons with disabilities. The redeveloped station has been designed to offer an airport-like travel experience.
Extensive security arrangements were put in place by the district administration and the Railways for the Prime Minister’s visit, with police and security personnel deployed across the station premises and along the designated route.
Later in Chandigarh, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over ₹4,700 crore for the Tricity region and neighbouring states. Addressing a public gathering, he said Chandigarh is not merely a city but a symbol of India’s changing development model and remains a key priority for the Centre’s development agenda.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), saying the country’s digital criminal justice system was launched from Chandigarh. He added that Chandigarh’s location benefits Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, and investments in healthcare, education and infrastructure directly serve people across the region.
Recalling his association with the city, Modi said he often visited the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) during his earlier years in Chandigarh. He inaugurated the Advanced Mother and Child Centre and the Advanced Neurosciences Centre at the institute and announced that the Centre has approved a new MBBS college at PGIMER, which is expected to help increase the number of medical graduates in the country.
