Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ‘Dhurandhar’ welcome in Vadodara, with the popular ‘Aari Aari’ song from the film playing during his arrival. PM Modi is on a visit to Vadodara to flag off and inaugurate
several major development projects, including key railway and highway projects, while also laying foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 35,000 crore.
#WATCH | Gujarat | PM Modi receives an enthusiastic welcome from the crowd attending the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event in Vadodara
(Video source: ANI/DD) pic.twitter.com/klrHAJri9T
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2026
Speaking at the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event, the Prime Minister targeted the previous UPA government over the delay in completing the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), saying the ambitious project had remained caught in bureaucratic processes for years before his government accelerated its implementation.
“For a Viksit Bharat, we need connectivity that is not only convenient but also fast enough to keep pace with the times,” PM Modi said.
He said the final links of the DFC had been connected from Vadodara and described the completion of the more than 2,800-km corridor as a “historic milestone” for 21st-century India.
PM Modi said the project had first been conceived in 2004 and a special company was formed in 2006 for its execution, but alleged that little progress was made until 2014.
“The files merely shuttled back and forth; they were just travelling from one table to another. And look at the irony… even these files did not get the benefit of a dedicated corridor,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the completion of the DFC reflected a transformation in the country’s work culture over the last 12 years and underlined the importance of faster connectivity for building a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
“I have come among you today to further accelerate the journey towards a ‘Viksit Bharat’,” PM Modi said. During his visit, the Prime Minister also flagged off freight train services and a new passenger train service between Tanda Road and Vadodara’s Pratapnagar. He also laid the foundation stones for development projects worth more than Rs 35,000 crore, covering three key sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, railway and highway projects and initiatives of the Gujarat government.
