In a dig at previous governments at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said development projects launched by him across the country should not be seen through the prism of elections.

Addressing a public gathering here on Sunday after virtually launching and inaugurating several development projects, PM Modi said the foundation stones his government laid in 2019 were not for elections, as the Opposition claims.

“The foundation stones we laid in 2019 were not for elections. All projects that we laid foundation stones for saw the light of day and were dedicated to the country. As we go into the elections this year, nobody should view the scheduled launch of projects through the prism of polling,” PM Modi said, adding, “I am working to make India a developed nation by 2047.”

Coming down heavily on the previous governments, he said leaders at the helm earlier would make announcements to ‘fool people’, only to ‘disappear’ once the polls were done and dusted.

“You have seen over the past few days that I have been inaugurating several projects across the country from one place. When people hear about several airports, several railway stations, several IIMs and several AIIMS, they are often taken by surprise. Sometimes, they fall back to the old mindset of seeing everything in the electoral context. What used to happen in election season earlier? People in previous governments used to make announcements to fool people. When I sit down to analyse what previous governments did, I find that projects announced 30-35 years ago are yet to get off the ground. They would to put up plaques before elections and disappear thereafter,” PM Modi said.

“Today, the country can see that Modi doosri mitti ka insaan hai (Modi was cast in a different mould)” he added.

PM Modi was speaking in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh where he launched, inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various development projects.

The PM participated in a public programme in UP where he inaugurated multiple projects worth Rs 42,000 crore.

The project launched by PM Modi includes 12 new terminal buildings at Pune, Kolhapur, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Delhi, Lucknow, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Moradabad, Shravasti and Adampur Airports, along with laying of the foundation stone for new terminal buildings of Kadapa, Hubballi and Belagavi airports on Sunday.

So far, in FY 2023-24, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has operationalized state-of-the-art new integrated terminal buildings at Chennai, Port Blair, Surat and Tiruchirappalli Airports.

The new terminal buildings at Kanpur Airport, Rajkot International Airport, Tezu Airport and Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham were also inaugurated. The projects are aimed at augmenting passenger amenities and giving a fillip to the local economy.

Further, the foundation stone was also laid for new terminal buildings in Datia, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Rajahmundry to cater to demands in future.

The 12 new terminal buildings are being developed at a total cost of Rs. 8,903 Crore, having a combined capacity to serve 615 Lakh passengers annually.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, these terminal buildings are fully equipped with various passenger facilities like check-in counters, aerobridges, baggage conveyors and sufficient concessionaire area.

AAI has also undertaken the development of three new terminal buildings at Kadapa, Hubballi and Belagavi Airports at a total cost of Rs.908 crore.

Once completed, the combined passenger handling capacity of these airports will increase to 95 lakh passengers per annum, as per the government.

These new terminal buildings are also equipped with various sustainability features like a double insulated roofing system, provision of canopies for energy saving, LED lighting, low heat gain double glazing unit, solar power plant etc. to meet GRIHA ratings.

He also inaugurated the Light House Project (LHP) in Lucknow and Ranchi, as part of which more than 2000 affordable flats have been built with modern infrastructure.

The innovative construction technology employed in these LHPs will give the families a sustainable and futuristic living experience, according to the government.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated similar lighthouse projects in Chennai, Rajkot and Indore. The foundation stone of these LHPs was laid by the Prime Minister on January 1, 2021.

For Ranchi LHP, Germany’s Precast Concrete Construction System–3D Volumetric technology has been adopted. A unique feature of LHP Ranchi is that each room has been made separately and then the entire structure has been added, like Lego Blocks toys. LHP Lucknow has been constructed using Canada’s Stay-In-Place PVC Formwork with a Pre-Engineered Steel Structural System.

Prime Minister Modi also dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of several road projects worth around Rs 11,500 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

The road projects will improve connectivity, help reduce traffic congestion and lead to socioeconomic development in the region, according to the release.

He also dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of several road projects worth more than Rs 19,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

The projects include three packages of four-lane Lucknow Ring Road and six laning of Chakeri to Allahabad Section of NH-2. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the four-laning of the western side spur of Rampur-Rudrapur; two packages of six-laning of Kanpur Ring Road, and four-laning of Raebareli-Prayagraj section of NH-24B and NH-30.

The road projects will improve connectivity, help reduce traffic congestion and will lead to socioeconomic development in the region.

Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation about 744 rural road projects worth more than Rs 3700 crore built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

“These projects will see the cumulative construction of over 5,400 km of rural roads in Uttar Pradesh, benefiting approximately 59 districts in the state. This will enhance connectivity and provide a significant boost to socio-economic development,” the prime minister’s office said.

During the programme, he also inaugurated, dedicated and laid the foundation stone of multiple rail projects worth around Rs 8200 crore, strengthening the rail infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh.

He also dedicated the doubling and electrification of multiple key rail sections as well as the Bhatni-Peokol bypass line, which will end the problem of engine reversal at Bhatni and facilitate seamless train operation.

Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone for the gauge conversion of the Bahraich-Nanpara-Nepalganj Road rail section. After the completion of this project, the region will be connected to the metropolitan cities through a broad gauge line which will facilitate speedy development.

He also inaugurated a new rail line from Ghazipur City and Ghazipur Ghat to Tarighat, including a rail bridge over the river Ganga. PM Modi also flagged off the MEMU train service between Ghazipur City-Tarighat-Dildar Nagar Jn. He also inaugurated and dedicated multiple sewage treatment plants and other projects in Prayagraj, Jaunpur and Etawah.