Dehradun/Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the Constitution is now fully applicable across the entire nation after the abrogation of Article 370 and asserted that the NDA government is committed to delivering true social justice to every poor.
Addressing a public meeting in Dehradun after the inauguration of the Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor, Modi said, “Today is also the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar. On behalf of the people of the nation, I pay my tributes to Babasaheb. The policies formulated and the decisions taken by our government over the past decade have served to restore the dignity of the Constitution.”
Babasaheb’s life was dedicated to ensuring a just system for the poor, deprived and the exploited, he added.
“After abrogation of Article 370, the Constitution is now fully applicable across the entire nation. Work is being done in a dozen districts according to the spirit of the Constitution where Maoism, Naxalism have ended,” he said.
Modi said the Indian Constitution expects that a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) be implemented in the country, adding that by taking this spirit forward, Uttarakhand has shown the path to the nation.
“Today, our government is committed to that very same spirit for delivering true social justice to every poor and deprived individual,” he said.
The prime minister asserted that a big medium for achieving social justice is the balanced development of the nation by providing amenities to all and ensuring prosperity for everyone. It is for this reason that Babasaheb strongly advocated modern infrastructure and industrialisation, he added.
He said this decade would be that of Uttarakhand and this corridor will give a huge push to the state’s growth.
“When tourism develops, all benefit. I am happy that Uttarakhand is emerging as a key destination for winter tourism and sports,” Modi said.
He also said that the 12-km elevated corridor along the Delhi-Dehradun expressway has been built keeping the safety and security of elephants in mind.
Referring to the Haridwar Kumbh, Modi said, “Haridwar will host Kumbh next year and we must leave no stone unturned to make the experience a divine and clean one.”
Earlier in the day, the prime minister inaugurated the Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor, which will cut travel time between the two cities to nearly half.
The 213 km-long six-lane access-controlled corridor has been built at a cost of over Rs 12,000 crore. It traverses through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and will reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours at present to around two-and-a-half hours, according to an official statement.
The corridor will play a pivotal role in strengthening regional economic growth by enhancing connectivity between major tourism and economic centres as well as opening new avenues for trade and development across the region.
“The project reflects the vision of the prime minister to develop next-generation infrastructure that combines high-speed connectivity with environmental sustainability and improved quality of life for citizens,” the statement said.
The implementation of the project also involves the construction of 10 interchanges, three Railway Over Bridges (ROBs), four major bridges and 12 wayside amenities to enable seamless high-speed connectivity.
The corridor is equipped with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to provide a safer and more efficient travel experience for commuters.
The PM remarked that a nation’s future is reflected in its roads, highways, expressways, airways, railways and waterways, drawing a comparison with the “haath ki rekha” (lines on palms).
Keeping in view the ecological sensitivity, rich biodiversity and wildlife in the region, the corridor has been designed with several features aimed at significantly reducing human-wildlife conflict.
To ensure the free movement of wild animals, the project incorporates several dedicated wildlife protection features. These include a 12-km-long wildlife elevated corridor, which is one of the longest in Asia.
The corridor includes eight animal passes, two elephant underpasses of 200 metres each, and a 370-metre-long tunnel near Maa Daat Kali Temple.
Prime Minister Modi offered prayers at Maa Daat Kali Temple near Dehradun. “The blessings of Maa Daat Kali have been a great strength in completing a project of this magnitude,” said PM Modi.
This comes ahead of the two-phase assembly elections in West Bengal where Goddess Kali is worshipped by a large number of people. The state faces polls on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
The PM also paid floral tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar on this occasion.
He inspected the wildlife corridor on the elevated section of the Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor in Saharanpur and also held a roadshow in the Uttar Pradesh town, waving at people who had lined up.
The main inauguration event was held in Dehradun, with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other dignitaries joining it. Ministers and dignitaries from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh virtually joined it.
A large number of people gathered in Dehradun and waved at the prime minister as his motorcade passed through the streets of the Uttarakhand capital.
He paid tribute to Uttarakhand’s proud military tradition from the historic venue of Garhi Cantonment. He outlined several welfare measures for ex-servicemen, including the disbursement of nearly Rs 1.25 lakh crore under One Rank One Pension.
Concluding his address, he said the vision of a Viksit Bharat must encompass progress, nature and culture in equal measure. “Combining patriotism, devotion and development across every dimension, that is how we will build a truly developed India,” he said.
