In a landmark event marking a milestone for the infrastructural landscape of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the ‘PM GatiShakti – National Master Plan’ for multi-modal connectivity to economic zones in the country. The plan is an important part of Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-dependent India) vision and ambitiously aims to lend more power and speed to projects under the $1.5-trillion National Infrastructure Pipeline and boost the goal of achieving a $5-trillion economy, especially in wake of the recent economic impacts of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The PM GatiShakti launch event took place at 11am at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. Prime Minister Modi, who was present at the launch event, reviewed the model of the new exhibition complex at Pragati Maidan, before launching the GatiShakti plan with the press of a remote button. The ambitious plan envisages a centralised portal to unite the infrastructural initiatives planned and initiated by as many as 16 central ministries and departments. Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister said that PM GatiShakti targets to cut logistic costs, increase cargo handling capacity and reduce the turnaround time.

Union minister for commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, who was also present at the event, said that the PM GatiShakti initiative will give infrastructure creation a new direction and also provide a new pace to existing projects.