Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 17 July laid foundation stones and inaugurated development projects worth over ₹4,700 crore in Chandigarh, covering healthcare, education, and road infrastructure across the tricity region of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali. The event marked one leg of a broader multi-city development push spanning Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab on the same day.

Healthcare Boost at PGIMER

Modi virtually inaugurated the Advanced Mother and Child Centre at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), accompanied by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The centre, equipped with 300 beds and state-of-the-art facilities, is designed to deliver comprehensive tertiary healthcare for high-risk pregnancies, critically ill newborns, and children requiring specialised treatment.

The Advanced Neurosciences Centre at PGIMER was also inaugurated, offering integrated services in neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-critical care, and advanced diagnostics under a single roof — aimed at providing world-class treatment for complex neurological disorders while strengthening medical research and training. Additionally, Modi laid the foundation stone of a 150-bed Critical Care Block under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which will bolster emergency preparedness, intensive care, and disaster response capabilities at the institution.

Education Infrastructure Strengthened

Several academic infrastructure projects were inaugurated and initiated. These include the Kurukshetra Boys Hostel and Mess at Punjab Engineering College, a Hostel Block at Government College, Sector 46, and the foundation stone of a Research Scholars' Hostel at Punjab Engineering College. The projects are intended to improve residential facilities for students and researchers, supporting higher education in the region.

A new multipurpose auditorium at Panjab University's South Campus in Sector 25 was also among the inaugurated facilities, adding to the academic and cultural infrastructure of one of India's oldest central universities.

Road Projects to Ease Tricity Connectivity

On the infrastructure front, Modi inaugurated the six-lane Greenfield Highway from IT City to Kurali in Mohali district. The corridor is projected to reduce travel time between Mohali, Kharar, and Kurali while improving connectivity between Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

He also laid the foundation stone for the PR-7 Spur of the Ambala-Chandigarh Greenfield Highway (NH-205A) — a 10.3-km greenfield corridor designed to route long-distance traffic around the congested urban stretches of Zirakpur, linking the Zirakpur Bypass directly to Aerocity on Chandigarh's outskirts.

Part of a Larger Multi-City Push

The Chandigarh leg was one of three stops in a single-day development blitz. Earlier, from Jind in Haryana, Modi had launched the country's first 10-coach hydrogen-powered train — named NaMo Green Rail — along with projects worth ₹14,700 crore spanning connectivity, healthcare, and cultural heritage. He was subsequently scheduled to travel to Jalandhar in Punjab to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for projects worth ₹5,470 crore. In aggregate, the day's announcements across all three cities totalled over ₹24,870 crore in development commitments.

With assembly elections in Punjab and Haryana remaining a live political consideration, the scale and geographic spread of Friday's announcements are likely to draw scrutiny alongside applause from infrastructure advocates.