Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh participated in the Pragati Path Yatra — an event marking 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government — and inspected Chandigarh Railway Station on 19 June 2026 to review its ongoing redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

Posting on X, Dr. Singh wrote: 'माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के 12 स्वर्णिम वर्ष पूर्ण होने के उपलक्ष्य में आयोजित #PragatiPathYatra में सहभागिता की' ('Participated in the Pragati Path Yatra organised to mark the completion of 12 golden years of honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi'). The minister said he reviewed the station's modernisation, passenger amenities, cleanliness, and the progress of ongoing development works.

Context

The inspection was part of the BJP's nationwide Pragati Path Yatra initiative, which marks a dozen years of the Modi government at the Centre. The yatra is being used to take stock of infrastructure projects and central schemes across constituencies. Chandigarh Railway Station, the primary railhead of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, is among the stations earmarked for comprehensive redevelopment under the central scheme.

Joining the minister during the inspection were BJP Chandigarh UT President Jatinder Pal Malhotra, former president Sanjay Tandon, programme in-charge Indira Singh, and other party functionaries, alongside officials of the UT administration.

Policy Backdrop

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, announced in February 2023, targets the redevelopment of 1,275 railway stations across India, with a focus on modern amenities, multimodal connectivity, and architecture that reflects local heritage. The scheme is positioned as a flagship component of the broader infrastructure push under the Viksit Bharat vision, linking rail upgrades with smart-city and urban-mobility goals.

The National Infrastructure Pipeline, launched in 2019, had earlier earmarked substantial outlays for station modernisation and multimodal hubs, providing the policy and budgetary scaffolding that the Amrit Bharat scheme now builds upon.

Stakeholders and Impact

The redevelopment of Chandigarh Railway Station is expected to benefit a large volume of daily rail passengers who use the station as a gateway to the Punjab-Haryana-Himachal Pradesh belt. Upgraded passenger facilities, improved cleanliness standards, and better multimodal integration are among the key deliverables being reviewed under the scheme.

The BJP Chandigarh UT unit's active participation in the inspection underscores the party's intent to connect central infrastructure spending with local political outreach, particularly in a Union Territory administered directly by the Centre.

What's Next

Progress milestones for the Chandigarh station redevelopment are expected to be tracked through subsequent reviews by central and UT administration officials. Observers will watch whether additional stations in the northern railway zone are brought under the Amrit Bharat Scheme in upcoming budget cycles. The Pragati Path Yatra is also likely to generate further on-ground reviews of central scheme implementation across other constituencies in the weeks ahead.