Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown keen interest and pledged support to some of the key infrastructural projects of Kerala, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who descended on the national capital with a big wish list, his first trip after assuming power for the second time.
Talking to newsmen in Delhi, the CM said the prime minister heard all issues sympathetically and the meeting was cordial and fruitful. He said he talked to the PM about the state’s ambitious high-speed rail project, connecting one end of the state to the other in four hours, proposed Sabarimala airport and rail projects and long-pending demand for a new centre of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the state.
“The PM congratulated the state government for completing the GAIL pipeline which was hanging fire. He heard details of the proposed silver line high-speed rail project and promised all support. He also suggested the state to make use of the long coastline for travelling and freight movement,” he said, adding, he took up some of the pending projects like the petrochemical unit in Kochi and sought his help to complete it.
“Our demand for the AIIMS is decades old. It is more justified now with growing incidences of viruses and other cases,” he said, adding, he apprised the PM about the Covid-19 situation and sought more vaccines to tide over the crisis. “Despite a high caseload, the situation is well under control. Our fatality rate is 0.47%, the lowest in the country. We need at least 2.5 million more vaccines to complete the second dose,” he said. The CM also PM Modi that the state’s zero wastage of vaccine will have to be factored in.
{{/usCountry}}“Our demand for the AIIMS is decades old. It is more justified now with growing incidences of viruses and other cases,” he said, adding, he apprised the PM about the Covid-19 situation and sought more vaccines to tide over the crisis. “Despite a high caseload, the situation is well under control. Our fatality rate is 0.47%, the lowest in the country. We need at least 2.5 million more vaccines to complete the second dose,” he said. The CM also PM Modi that the state’s zero wastage of vaccine will have to be factored in.
{{/usCountry}}The CM also met railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and PM’s principal secretary S K Misra. He also sought permission to launch the second phase of Kochi Metro. Later, replying to a question, he said he was shocked over razing of a portion of the church in south Delhi. “Some of the members of the church met me and I shared their pain and grief. We have limitations in this, but I promised them all possible help,” he said. A major portion of the Syro-Malabar church in Chattarpur was demolished by civic authorities alleging encroachment and many believers protested it vehemently.