A major highlight of the visit will be the inauguration of two new facilities at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The Prime Minister will dedicate the Advanced Mother and Child Centre and the Advanced Neurosciences Centre to the nation. He will also lay the foundation stone for a 150-bed Critical Care Hospital Block under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.
The healthcare projects, collectively valued at nearly Rs 1,200 crore, are expected to strengthen advanced medical treatment, research, and education across northern India. According to officials, the Advanced Mother and Child Centre has been developed to significantly enhance PGIMER's capacity to manage more than 6,000 high-risk deliveries annually. The Advanced Neurosciences Centre will help reduce waiting periods for patients suffering from neurological disorders while increasing the availability of specialized treatment and medical care.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will also launch the new Sant Ravidas Express, which will operate between Chheharta in Amritsar and Varanasi. The train service is expected to provide improved connectivity for devotees travelling to the Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Temple at Seer Govardhanpur in Varanasi.
The launch of the train assumes added significance as preparations continue for the grand celebrations marking the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidass next year. The Ravidasi community has a significant presence in Punjab's Doaba region, and the new railway service is expected to benefit thousands of devotees who regularly travel to Varanasi.
Railway authorities have confirmed that the new train service has received approval from the Railway Board and will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
The Prime Minister's itinerary also includes Jalandhar, where he will launch the redevelopment of 75 railway stations across the country under the Central Government's station modernization initiative. Among the stations included in the project is the historic Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station, which dates back to the British colonial period.
The Punjab visit comes just months after Prime Minister Modi visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan, the spiritual centre of the Ravidasia community in the state. During that visit, he met Sant Niranjan Das, the spiritual head of the Dera, who was recently honoured with the Padma Shri.
Apart from unveiling the development projects, the visit is expected to attract considerable political attention as it marks the Prime Minister's first visit to Punjab following the Bharatiya Janata Party's announcement of a new electoral strategy for the state. The party has declared that it will pursue an independent political strategy in Punjab during the forthcoming elections. With major investments in healthcare, railway infrastructure, and public services, the visit underscores the Central Government's focus on development while carrying significant political and social importance for the state.
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