Dehradun, April 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor and described it as a world-class infrastructure project that will deepen connectivity and boost tourism in the region.

Addressing a public gathering after the inauguration, PM Modi said the state has completed 25 years of existence and is now entering its 26th year. He added that the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will add another major milestone to the ongoing development.

He said that the double-engine government was committed to the holistic development of Devbhoomi and hailed the Economic Corridor as the one that will give new momentum and push to religious tourism in the state.

Recalling his previous remarks that the “next decade belongs to Uttarakhand”, he said that the highways, expressways, railways, waterways and airways comprise the “bhagyarekha” (lifeline) of a nation and they will serve as the guarantee of prosperity for future generations.

He said that his government was working wholeheartedly to build roads and highways and big infrastructure projects. He also cited fund allocations, before 2014 and after 2014, to differentiate the thrust on building big-ticket infrastructure.

“In the UPA era, the national expenditure on infrastructure projects amounted to Rs two lakh crore, but today that stands at Rs 12 lakh crore. Out of this, about Rs 2.25 lakh crore is being spent in Uttarakhand for creating world-class infrastructure,” PM Modi told the crowd, drawing loud applause.

He further highlighted that ambitious projects like the Char Dham expressway and the Kedarnath-Hemkund ropeway have been undertaken by the government and will soon come to fruition.

He said that the past few months have seen the launch of multiple large-scale projects, including Meerut Metro, NaMo Bharat trains, Noida International Airport, and today, the inauguration of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor comes as another “good news” for the region.

Explaining how the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will deepen Uttarakhand’s tourism potential, the Prime Minister said that the expressway will help Devbhoomi emerge as a “tourism hub” by building seamless connectivity to multiple cities, including Rishikesh, Haridwar and more.

Multiple business opportunities stand to gain from big infra projects, and multiple businesses, ranging from hotel operators to homestays, will stand to benefit from the economic corridor, he pointed out.

He also expressed happiness over Uttarakhand’s fast emergence as the ‘new’ wedding destination.

–IANS

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