March 8, 2022: They will create better lifestyle choices and reduce carbon emissions a large extent, said PM Modi.
After laying the foundation stone on December 24, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pune Metro Railway project on Sunday, March 6th. He himself bought a ticket and took a ride from Garware College to Anand Nagar. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and Maharashtra Assembly Leader of Opposition Division Murlidhar Mohol also attended the ceremony. The inaugural ride was 12 km long, and the total journey is 32.2 km in total. A stunning statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj within the campus of the Pune Municipal Corporation was also launched on the very same day.
The metro project is worth ₹11,400 crore. While riding the train, Mr Modi heavily interacted with the schools students who were also on board. Along with the foundation stone of this project, the stones of rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula Mutha river project was also laid by PM Modi.
River rejuvenation will be conducted on a 9-kilometre stretch of the river and will cost more than Rs.1080 crore, and will focus on interceptor sewage network, public amenities, boating activities, and river edge protection programmes. It will run under the concept of One city One operator. 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed with a capacity of around 400 MLD (MegaLitres per Day) altogether, as a part of this programme.
In an address that he delivered after the inauguration, PM Modi spoke about how these projects are built to enhance the urban infrastructure in Pune, by making transportation easier, reducing pollution and solving traffic jams throughout the city. According to him, this will bring “ease of living in the city.” Carbon emissions will be reduced to a large extent. PM Modi believes that Pune has already developed itself into an education, IT and automobile hub, therefore right now, the government is working to meet the requirements of the people. Since Pune is also popular for its dependence on green fuel and detachment from crude oil imported from foreign countries, the government will also focus on ethanol production, and have already established centres that will benefit farmers in the process. He further thanked former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his efforts towards turning this project into reality.
The Integrated Command and Control Centre with waste and sewage management plants will also be built by the government as a part of their next programme to enhance the circulation of the economy. Furthermore, 148 e-buses and e-bus depots have been constructed by the government at Baner. The RK Laxman Art Gallery museum has also been inaugurated at Balewadi, Pune, by our Prime Minister, a part of which recreates Malgudi village, an iconic creation by RK Laxman. The museum will be made alive using extensive audiovisual effects, with cartoons showcased on the display boards, drawn by the legendary cartoonist RK Laxman himself.
