NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off his visit to Maharashtra on Saturday with prayers at the Jagdamba Mata temple in Poharadevi. Embracing the region’s culture, he participated in local traditions by playing a traditional dhol at Sant Seva Lal Ji Maharaj’s Samadhi.
During his visit, Modi also opened the Banjara Virasat Museum in Washim, which highlights the cultural heritage of the Banjara community.Maharashtra’s chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were present for the event.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes inaugurating Mumbai Metro Line 3, the city’s first fully underground metro line. This line will connect Colaba, Bandra, and SEEPZ, with a 12.69-kilometre section between Aarey JVLR and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) initially opening for use.
Key dignitaries expected to attend the inauguration include Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, as well as other state leaders. PM Modi will officiate the event at the BKC metro station, where he will flag off the metro and ride from BKC to Santacruz, engaging with passengers, including beneficiaries of the “Laadki Bahin” scheme, students, and metro staff during the journey.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will launch MetroConnect3, a mobile app aimed at improving the travel experience for commuters, featuring modern and user-friendly tools. A coffee table book, documenting the journey and evolution of Mumbai’s underground metro with rich visual content, will also be revealed during the event.
In another significant move, Modi will release the 18th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme, providing approximately Rs 20,000 crore in aid to around 9.4 crore farmers. This brings the total disbursed under the scheme to an estimated Rs 3.45 lakh crore.