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    COVER STORY                                                               JULY 24, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    4

                                         PM’S DEVELOPMENT PUSH

              BJP’S PROJECT

                                             PUNJAB

                 PM Modi’s Rs 5,470-crore infrastructure package for Punjab underscores the BJP’s
               strategy of expanding its political footprint in a state where it remains electorally weak

                                  but sees growing opportunities amid a fragmented opposition

            OUR BUREAU
            Chandigarh / New Delhi
                  rime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pun-
                  jab on Friday was officially centered on in-
            Pfrastructure, connectivity and development.
            Politically, however, it carried a much broader mes-
            sage.
                By inaugurating and laying the foundation
            stone for rail and road projects worth more than
            Rs 5,470 crore while repeatedly emphasizing that
            the Centre would continue to invest in Punjab ir-
            respective of which party governs the state, Modi
            signaled that the BJP intends to become a far more
            significant player in Punjab ahead of the 2027 As-
            sembly elections.
                For a party that has historically struggled to
            establish itself independently in Punjab after the
            collapse of its long-standing alliance with the Shiro-
            mani Akali Dal (SAD), development has increas-
            ingly become its principal political narrative. Fri-
            day’s announcements fit neatly into that strategy.
                The projects included the inauguration of 75
            redeveloped railway stations across India under the
            Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, including Jalandhar
            Cantonment station, besides new railway lines,   Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches multiple development projects at a public rally, in Chandigarh on Friday. Union Minis-
            highway projects and improved regional connec-
            tivity.                                                            ters JP Nadda and Ashwini Vaishnaw also present (DPR PMO/ANI
                Together, they represent one of the largest in-
            frastructure packages announced for Punjab in re-  where, Modi’s address devoted relatively  little   inauguration of the Daulatpur Chowk-Kartoli rail
            cent years.                                  attention to national political issues. Instead, he   line, built at a cost of about Rs 830 crore as part of
                Speaking in Jalandhar, Modi made the polit-  focused almost entirely on infrastructure, gover-  the Nangal Dam-Talwara-Mukerian railway proj-
            ical message explicit. “Although there is no BJP   nance, railway modernization and economic devel-  ect. The line improves connectivity between Punjab
            government in Punjab, our commitment to Pun-  opment.                                      and neighboring Himachal Pradesh while provid-
            jab’s development remains unwavering. The BJP-   He contrasted the Centre’s record with previ-  ing easier access to important religious destinations
            led NDA Government at the Centre is leaving no   ous governments, saying Indian Railways had suf-  including Shri Anandpur Sahib and the Maa Chint-
            stone unturned to ensure the state’s progress,” the   fered decades of neglect before 2014.”Indian Rail-  purni Temple.
            Prime Minister said.                         ways is the ride of poor and middle-class families.   The Prime Minister also flagged off the Kar-
                The  remark  was  significant  because  Punjab   But before 2014, the Congress government used to   toli-Ambala train service and the Amritsar (Ch-
            remains one of the few major states governed by   make false announcements of new trains and then   heharta)-Varanasi train, creating a direct rail link
            the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while the BJP seeks   sit back. Railway stations were left to their fate,”   between two of India’s most important spiritual
            to expand beyond its traditional urban pockets and   Modi said.                            centers.
            improve its standing among Sikh voters.          The development package itself spans multiple   On the road infrastructure side, Modi inaugu-
                Unlike several recent political speeches else-  sectors.  Among  the  key  railway projects  was  the    Continued on next page... >>

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