The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over Rs 243 billion in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The projects include the dedication of the six-lane Greenfield expressway section of the Amritsar – Jamnagar Economic Corridor at a cost of around Rs 111.25 billion, Phase-I of the Inter-State Transmission (ISTS) Line for Green Energy Corridor worth around Rs 109.5 billion, Bikaner to Bhiwadi Transmission Line to be developed by Power Grid at a cost of around Rs 13.40 billion, and a new 30-bedded Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital in Bikaner. Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the Bikaner Railway Station at a cost of around Rs 4.5 billion and doubling of the 43 km long Churu – Ratangarh section railway line
Referring to the Green Field Expressway, Modi said that it will connect Rajasthan with Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, while important commercial seaports like Jamnagar and Kandla will also become accessible from Bikaner and Rajasthan.
He underlined that the distances between Bikaner and Amritsar, and Jodhpur will be reduced, along with the distance between Jodhpur and Gujarat which will largely benefit the farmers and businesses of the region. “This Greenfield Expressway will strengthen the economic activities in entire western India”, the prime minister said as he highlighted the increased connectivity with oil field refineries which will strengthen the supply, thereby giving pace to economic developments in the country.
