Accusing the Opposition of indulging in negative politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his government has taken the task of the nation’s development as a mission.

The Prime Minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 Railway Stations across the country via video conferencing.

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“Away from negative politics, we have taken the task of the nation’s development as a mission and given it the top priority irrespective of vote bank and party politics,” PM Modi said.

Speaking about the 9th of August, Prime Minister Modi said that it was the historic date when the Quit India movement began and it created new energy in India’s struggle for independence.

Inspired by this, the Prime Minister said: “Today the whole country is roaring Quit India for every evil, corruption, dynasty and appeasement.”

Highlighting the significance of the month of August for every Indian, the Prime Minister said that it is the month of revolution, gratitude and duty and filled with many historical occasions which gave a new direction to the history of India.

The Prime Minister mentioned National Handloom Day which is celebrated on August 7 and dedicated to the Swadeshi movement. “This date of 7th August is the day for every Indian to reiterate the resolution of being Vocal for Local,” Modi said.

He lamented the opposition to projects like the new Parliament Building, Kartavya Path, War Memorial and Statue of Unity.

The Prime Minister mentioned the upcoming Partition Horror Remembrance Day and said: “We remember countless people who paid a huge cost of the partition and acknowledged the contribution of the people who gathered themselves after the shock and are contributing to the development of the country. He said that this day gives us the responsibility of keeping our unity intact.”

PM Modi said: “Our Independence Day is the time to reiterate our commitment towards our Tricolor and the progress of our nation. Like last year, this time also, we have to hoist the tricolor at every house.”

He noted the people’s enthusiasm on social media and in flag marches and appealed to everyone to get associated with the campaign.

Redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore, these 508 Railway Stations are spread across 27 states and union territories, including 55 each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 49 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, 37 in West Bengal, 34 in Madhya Pradesh, 32 in Assam, 25 in Odisha, 22 in Punjab, 21 each in Gujarat and Telangana, 20 in Jharkhand, 18 each in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 15 in Haryana, 13 in Karnataka among others.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that the new India which is fast moving towards the goal of Viksit Bharat is on the onset of Amrit Kaal.

“There is new energy, new inspirations and new resolutions,” the Prime Minister said underlining that it is the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Indian Railway.

He informed that almost 1300 prime railway stations in the country will now be redeveloped with modernity as ‘Amrit Bharat Stations’ and will get a new lease of life. Out of the 1300 railway stations, the Prime Minister informed, the foundation stone for 508 Amrit Bharat Stations is being laid today at the cost of approx Rs 25,000 crore.

He emphasized that the redevelopment project will be a huge campaign for infrastructure development in the country along with the railways as well as the common citizens.

Noting that its benefits will be spread to all states in the country, the Prime Minister mentioned that 55 Amrit Stations will be developed at the cost of approx Rs 4,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 34 stations in Madhya Pradesh at the cost of approx Rs 1,000 crore, 44 stations in Maharashtra at the cost of Rs 1,500 crore, and prime railway stations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala among others will be redeveloped. The Prime Minister praised the Ministry of Railways and congratulated the citizens for this historic project.

The Prime Minister underlined the growing stature of India in the world and highlighted the growing global interest in India. He credited two major factors for this. First, the election of a stable full majority government by the people of India and, second, the government took ambitious decisions and worked relentlessly for the development of the people in accordance with their aspirations.

He emphasized that Indian railways too symbolizes this. He presented the facts of the expansion of the rail sector to illustrate his points. He said that in the last nine years, the length of track laid in the country is more than the combined railway network in South Africa, Ukraine, Poland, the UK and Sweden.

Putting the scale of expansion in Indian railways in perspective, the Prime Minister further said that in the last year alone, India laid more railway tracks than the combined railway network of South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.

Today, he said, the government is working to make the rail journey accessible as well as pleasant. “The effort is to provide the best possible experience from train to station,” he added. He mentioned better seating on platforms, upgraded waiting rooms and free wifi on thousands of stations.