Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a ride of Kanpur metro after launching a new section of the Rs 11,000 crore metro project in the city today. The prime minister was accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as he undertook the ride from the IIT metro station to Geeta Nagar.
This nine-km long section from IIT-Kanpur to Moti Jheel was completed in a record two years' time.
The entire length of the project in Kanpur is 32 km and is being built at a cost of over Rs 11,000 crore, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Improving urban mobility has been one of the key focus areas of the prime minister and the metro project is yet another step in this direction, officials said.
PM Modi will also inaugurate a 356-km long pipeline project during his visit to the city.
PM Modi undertook the ride from the IIT metro station to Geeta Nagar.
The Bina-Panki pipeline project has a capacity of around 3.45 million metric tonne per annum. Extending from Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh to Panki in Kanpur, the project has been built at a cost of over ₹ 1,500 crore.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi attended an event at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, where he launched the blockchain-based digital degrees. These digital degrees can be verified globally and are unforgeable.
Addressing the 54th convocation ceremony of IIT Kanpur, the Prime Minister said, "Today is a day of double happiness for Kanpur. On one hand, Kanpur is getting a metro rail facility and on the other hand, the world of technology is also getting priceless gifts from IIT Kanpur."
The Prime Minister said that the country has more than 75 unicorns, more than 50,000 start-ups. Of these, 10,000 have come only in the last 6 months.
"We should have achieved a lot of things by the time India completed 25 years of independence. But unfortunately, we couldn't do much. But now, we do not have even two minutes to waste. We must strive religiously for Atmanirbhar Bharat," PM Modi said.
"If you are looking for the challenges you are the hunter, rather than being hunted. You have to become someone who hunts for problems and find their solutions," he added.
He said India has emerged to be the second biggest startup hub in the world, and this feat has been achieved majorly with the help of students from IITs.
