Eyeing the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of rail and road infrastructure projects worth ₹5,470 crore from Jalandhar, with the bulk aimed at boosting Punjab’s development.
Event Context
Top BJP leaders from the state remained present on the occasion as the party sought to build momentum ahead of the 2027 polls.
From the Jalandhar Cantonment station, Modi virtually inaugurated 75 redeveloped railway stations across the country under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Four of these redeveloped stations are in Punjab — Jalandhar Cantonment, Anandpur Sahib, Muktsar and Mohali. Built at a cost of approximately ₹1,570 crore, the stations incorporate local culture, heritage and architecture under the theme “Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi”.
The Prime Minister also flagged off the Kartoli-Ambala train service, improving connectivity across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, and the Chheharta (Amritsar)-Varanasi train.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said the revamped Jalandhar Cantonment railway station reflected India’s march towards becoming a developed nation.
Taking on the Congress, Modi said, “It never remained a priority for the Congress-led governments to redevelop these railway stations, which were in dilapidated condition before the BJP government took the initiative for their complete overhaul.”
“Today, railway stations across the country are being transformed. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, more than 1,300 railway stations are being modernised. Today, 75 such stations have been inaugurated,” he said.
Modi also inaugurated the 30.9-km stretch of the four-lane greenfield Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and laid the foundation stone for the 25.2-km six-lane Southern Ludhiana Bypass, which will reduce travel time between Ludhiana and Bathinda.
Highlighting opportunities under the Centre’s sports initiatives, Modi said Jalandhar’s globally recognised sports goods industry would play a key role in India’s growing sports economy.
“I have great faith in the potential of Punjab’s youth. Campaigns like Khelo India have developed a new sports culture and sports economy in India. At the heart of this new economy is Jalandhar’s sports manufacturing ecosystem,” he said.
Modi later paid tributes to Sardar Teja Singh Samundri on his 100th martyrdom anniversary for his contribution to India’s freedom struggle and the Sikh Gurdwara Reform Movement.
Player Focus
Meanwhile, Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu lashed out at chief minister Bhagwant Mann for staying away from the event, stating that the chief minister should have attended as the projects were meant for Punjab’s development.
“Mann had other priorities as his sole motive was to please his supremo Arvind Kejriwal. He did not consider it important to be present for Punjab’s development,” Bittu said.
Punjab cabinet minister Aman Arora received the Prime Minister at PAP headquarters, from where he headed to the Jalandhar Cantonment railway station, while finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema remained present at the Adampur Air Force station, where the Prime Minister first landed.
However, both the ministers didn’t accompany Modi to the Jalandhar Cantonment railway station. Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria remained present, but he didn’t accompany Modi to BJP’s public rally.
State BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon thanked the Prime Minister for never visiting Punjab empty-handed and always bringing developmental initiatives for the state.
“In 2027, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Punjab would get a government inspired by Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Sarkar-e-Khalsa, which would eliminate drugs, gangsterism and unemployment while restoring the state’s pride and glory,” Dhillon said.
Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab had marked the beginning of a new chapter in the state’s development journey, asserting that the people of Punjab were ready for a decisive political change in the 2027 assembly elections.
Match Outlook
“Similarly, the stations at Anandpur Sahib, Muktsar and Mohali have also been transformed. Our new railway stations will become hubs for trade and business. The redeveloped stations offer a glimpse of our heritage and cultural legacy. Jalandhar station reflects its sporting traditions and folk culture, while Anandpur Sahib station has a glimpse of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and Kalka station features the Sri Kali Temple,” he said.
