After inaugurating the first phase of Delhi-Meerut expressway, the prime minister launched the 135-km-long Eastern Peripheral Expressway.
Asserting that infrastructure is a key priority of his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Rs 3 lakh crore has been spent on laying a network of 28,000 kilometre of highways.
Highways, railways, airways and Iways have been the focus of the government he said.
Highways construction has reached 27 km a day from mere 12 km a day during Congress regime while last year 10 crore people undertook air journeys, he said.
Modi was addressing a public rally after dedicating the Eastern Peripheral Expressway to the nation. The 135-km-long EPE has been built at a cost of Rs 11,000 crore in 500 days.
He said that apart from Rs 5 lakh crore provisions for Bharatmala for highways, a provision of Rs 14 lakh crore was made in the budget to strengthen agriculture related infrastructure.
The government is sensitive to the plight of sugarcane farmers and adequate steps are taken to provide proper prices for their crop, he said.
While talking about social justice, Modi said his government is committed to Dalit protection and has constituted special courts for fast-track hearing of cases of atrocities.
Lauding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said criminals in Uttar Pradesh are now surrendering themselves and pledging not to indulge in illegal acts.
About the Ganga cleaning programme, Modi said more than 200 projects worth Rs 21,000 crore for have been taken up.
Taking a jibe at Congress, Modi said it had betrayed people for 70 years and played politics to create a crisis of confidence whether related to EVMs or other critical issues.
He said the Opposition was spreading rumours on farmer issues and asked people not to give credence to lies about farms given on contract farming.
In his about 50 minute-speech, he said all-round development work has been initiated.
Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated the first phase of Delhi-Meerut expressway.
Stretching from Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi to Delhi UP Border, the 14-lane highway will reduce the travel time between the two cities to only 45 minutes from the present about four to five hours.
Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari was also present at the inauguration event.
Soon after the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Modi held a roadshow in an open jeep on the expressway. People in big numbers gathered to get a glimpse of him during the roadshow.
This project will provide faster and safer connectivity between Delhi and Meerut. People from the NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will particularly benefit from this project.
-- With inputs from ANI