Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that cities like Pune in Maharashtra need to be made the centre of urban development to keep up with the pace of the growing population, but the lack of vision and planning during the previous regimes stalled development. The Prime Minister was virtually launching projects worth ₹11,200 crores in the western State that is due to hold elections over the next two months. According to a Government statement, the projects announced by the PM have an employment potential of over 30,000 jobs.
“Pune should have had an advanced transport system much earlier. But unfortunately, in the past decades, there was a lack of both planning and vision. Even if a plan came up for discussion, its file remained stuck for years. That old work culture has caused a great loss to our country,” Modi said. The Prime Minister’s scheduled visit to Pune on September 26 was cancelled after heavy rain lashed parts of Maharashtra. On Sunday, Modi virtually inaugurated the Pune Metro section from the district court to Swargate, which also marks the completion of the Pune Metro Rail Project (Phase 1). Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and others were in attendance at the official event. Speaking at the event, PM Modi said that India’s vision for modernity must be based on the country’s fundamental values. “India should be modern but based on our fundamental values. India should develop, grow and move forward carrying its heritage with pride,” he said during the brief address. Crediting his government with implementing the project, the PM said: “The talk of building a metro in Pune first started in 2008. However, its foundation stone was laid in 2016 when our government started making decisions quickly by removing the obstacles. And today Pune Metro is gaining speed and is also expanding.” While blaming the previous regime for the lack of development, the Prime Minister said: “The previous Government could not even build a single pillar of the metro in eight years. Whereas our government has prepared a modern network of metro in Pune.” Modi also inaugurated the Bidkin Industrial Area, which he dedicated to the nation. According to an official statement, the project covers an expansive 7,855 acres under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program, situated 20km south of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra. It has been developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program as part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, adjacent to NH-752E, 35km from the Samruddhi Mahamarg, connecting Nagpur to Mumbai. It is also 20km and 30km from the Aurangabad railway station and airport, respectively, and has been developed in line with the principles of PM Gati Shakti, the statement said.
The Central Government has approved the project at a total cost of ₹6,414 crore, to be developed in three phases. Phase A, covering 2,511 acres, has been prioritised with an investment of ₹2,427 crores. The Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited (MITL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed with a 51:49 partnership between the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT), has driven this ambitious project. Bidkin has already attracted investments from companies like Ather Energy (100 acres), Lubrizol (120 acres), Toyota-Kirloskar (MoU for 850 acres), and JSW Green Mobility (500 acres), according to the commerce ministry statement. Together, these projects represent a total investment of ₹56,200 crore, with an employment potential of over 30,000 jobs, it added. “In just three years since construction, a total of 1,822 acres (38 plots) have been allotted across industrial and mixed-use zones. The development of Bidkin Industrial Area is expected to have a domino effect on the socio-economic growth of the region, drawing skilled human resources and spurring rapid industrialization,” it added. Modi emphasised that Bidkin will become a “beacon of industrial excellence, generating employment, boosting exports, and contributing to the region’s overall development”. The cost of the underground section of the Pune Metro between the district court to Swargate is around ₹1,810 crores, according to officials. Modi also laid the foundation stone for Swargate-Katraj extension of the Pune Metro Phase 1 to be developed at the cost of around ₹2,955 crores. This southern extension of 5.46 km is completely underground with three stations — Market Yard, Padmavati and Katraj, according to officials.
