Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched multiple development projects worth over ₹4,700 crore spanning healthcare, education, and road infrastructure, describing Chandigarh as a “model of development for India” whose growth benefits the entire northern region.Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during the launch of various development projects in Chandigarh on Friday. (PTI Photo)The Prime Minister arrived at the Punjab Engineering College following a visit to Jind, where he flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train, and unveiled projects worth ₹14,700 crore.Prominent among those present at the Chandigarh gathering were Union health minister JP Nadda, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, and Congress MP Manish Tewari.“Coming among all of you today fills my heart with a unique sense of joy,” Modi told the gathering. “Chandigarh is not just a city; it has been a model of development for India. Chandigarh is known for its planned development, for a better lifestyle, better medical facilities, and along with all this, Chandigarh’s identity is the blessings of Maa Chandika.”Healthcare boostAt the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Modi inaugurated the 300-bed Advanced Mother and Child Centre to strengthen maternal care, alongside the Advanced Neurosciences Centre, which provides integrated neurology, neurosurgery, and neuro-critical care under one roof. He also laid the foundation stone for a 150-bed state-of-the-art critical care block under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).Union health minister JP Nadda credited Modi’s leadership for an “unprecedented” transformation in the medical sector driven by the 2017 National Health Policy. “The policy was not just about treating illness, but also about ensuring that people do not fall ill in the first place,” Nadda said. He described Chandigarh as the Prime Minister’s “karmabhoomi,” noting it served as the original base from which the BJP expanded its organisation across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana.Modi emphasised that Chandigarh serves as a vital healthcare lifeline for the region. “Its benefits extend beyond the city, reaching the people of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh as well,” Modi said, adding that it also aids patients from Jammu and Kashmir.Reflecting on India’s broader medical evolution, he added: “There was a time when the world used to worry about India’s healthcare system. During the coronavirus pandemic, the world was worried about India. But our government changed the world’s perception. Today, people from across the world come to India for healthcare. This is the result of the honest efforts made over the past 12 years.”Model city, legal pioneerBeyond health infrastructure, the Prime Minister highlighted Chandigarh’s modernisation under the Smart City Mission, noting that more than ₹2,500 crore has been spent on tech-driven upgrades. These include the Integrated Command and Control Centre, Smart Traffic Management, Smart Parking, and enhanced digital governance.Modi also lauded the city’s role as a pioneer in judicial reform, noting it was the first territory to execute the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after the Centre overhauled colonial-era laws. “You will recall that a year and a half ago, the country made a major reform in the justice system. We brought the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in place of the Penal Code. In other words, a justice-based legal system in place of punishment-based laws. The implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita began from Chandigarh itself,” he said.Following the Chandigarh function, the Prime Minister departed for Jalandhar to inaugurate a series of development works for Punjab.