Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to unveil development projects worth more than Rs 2,500 crore during a visit to Punjab on Friday, July 17, with a major focus on healthcare infrastructure and railway connectivity.
The visit will include the launch of two new facilities at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh — the Advanced Mother and Child Centre and the Advanced Neurosciences Centre.
Modi is also expected to lay the foundation stone for a 150-bed critical care hospital block under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.
Together, the healthcare projects are valued at nearly Rs 1,200 crore and are aimed at expanding advanced medical treatment, research and education across northern India.
The Advanced Mother and Child Centre is designed to strengthen PGIMER’s capacity to manage more than 6,000 high-risk deliveries annually. Meanwhile, the Advanced Neurosciences Centre is expected to reduce patient waiting times and improve access to specialized treatment for neurological disorders.
As part of the visit, Modi will also launch the new Sant Ravidas Express from Chheharta in Amritsar to Varanasi. The train is expected to improve connectivity for devotees travelling to the Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Temple at Seer Govardhanpur in Varanasi.
The service comes ahead of preparations to mark the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidass next year. The Ravidasi community has a significant presence in Punjab’s Doaba region, and the new rail connection is expected to benefit thousands of devotees who regularly travel to Varanasi.
According to railway authorities, the service has received approval from the Railway Board and will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Modi is also scheduled to visit Jalandhar, where he will launch the redevelopment of 75 railway stations across India under the central government’s station modernization initiative. The historic Jalandhar Cantonment railway station, which dates back to the British era, is among the facilities included in the program.
The Punjab visit follows Modi’s earlier trip to Dera Sachkhand Ballan, a major spiritual centre of the Ravidasi community, where he met spiritual leader Sant Niranjan Das.
Beyond the development announcements, the prime minister’s visit is expected to draw political attention as his first trip to Punjab since the Bharatiya Janata Party outlined a new electoral strategy for the state. The BJP has said it plans to pursue an independent approach in Punjab in upcoming elections.
