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PM likely to visit Punjab next week, inaugurate rly projects
Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday said the PM is expected to dedicate redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, besides unveiling other railway projects in the state.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Punjab in the second week of July to inaugurate a series of railway infrastructure projects and address a public rally in Jalandhar as the BJP is set to kick-start its campaign for the 2027 assembly elections.
Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday said the PM is expected to dedicate redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, besides unveiling other railway projects in the state. While tentative dates have been conveyed to the state unit, the final itinerary is yet to be cleared, he said.
Senior BJP leaders privy to the matter said the visit is being planned as the party’s first major political event in Punjab ahead of the assembly polls due early next year. Apart from showcasing the Centre’s infrastructure push, Modi is also expected to make announcements related to Punjab during the visit.
The Centre has significantly stepped up railway spending in Punjab over the past two years. Among the flagship projects is the ₹1,400-crore Qadian-Beas rail line, revived after decades.
The Centre has also announced a ₹443-crore railway link between Rajpura and Mohali besides providing a rail link to Talwandi Sabo.. The Centre has also accelerated redevelopment of railway stations across Punjab under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme while sanctioning funds for track doubling, electrification, safety upgrades and elimination of level crossings.
For the BJP, the visit carries political significance beyond infrastructure. After ending its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, the party has been striving to build an independent support base in Punjab, where it has traditionally remained confined to urban pockets. Over the past year, it has inducted leaders from rival parties, strengthened its organisational network and projected Ravneet Singh Bittu as one of its prominent Sikh faces.
With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in power and the Congress seeking to regain lost ground, the BJP is looking to position development and central investment as its principal campaign plank.
