Bhubaneswar, Feb 26 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday laid the foundation and inaugurated around 2,000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 41,000 crore through video conferencing.

He laid the foundation stone of the redevelopment of 553 Railway Stations and 1500 Railway Over Bridge /Railway Under Bridge projects across the country, including Odisha under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

As many as 553 railway stations will be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 19,000 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in 27 states and union territories of the country.

PM Modi also inaugurated Gomti Nagar station in Uttar Pradesh, redeveloped at a total cost of around Rs 385 crore.

PM Modi also on Monday laid the foundation stone of 1,500 road over bridges and underpasses in 24 states and Union Territories. The foundation for the redevelopment of 21 railway stations in Odisha under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was laid by PM Modi on Monday.

The project cost for the redevelopment of selected railway stations in Odisha has been estimated at Rs 900 crore.

Similarly, the foundation for the construction of 50 rail bridges in Odisha on Monday for smooth traffic and to avoid fatal accidents.

Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said: "Whatever India does today, it does it on an unprecedented speed and scale. We dream big and work tirelessly to realise them. This resolve is visible in this Viksit Bharat Viksit Railway programme."

He expressed happiness that the upcoming Amrit Bharat Stations will be the symbols of both Vikas and Virasat.

PM Modi stated in his address that Baleshwar station in Odisha is designed on the theme of Bhagwan Jagannath Temple.

The railway stations selected for redevelopment in other states will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.