Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and launch a slew of developmental projects valued at ₹5,950 crore on Monday at an event at Dabhoda village in n Gujarat’s Mehsana district. The PM, who is on a two-day visit to his home state, will also pay homage to India’s first deputy prime minister Sardar Patel on Tuesday at the Statue of Unity at Ektanagar.
The projects to be unveiled on Monday encompass development initiatives across several government departments, including Indian Railways, Gujarat Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (GRIDE), the Water Resources Department, the Water Supply Department, the Roads and Buildings Department, and the Urban Development Department, according to a statement by the Gujarat government.
These development initiatives will encompass Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Gandhinagar, and Patan districts. Across these districts, there are a total of 16 projects, of which eight will be inaugurated and dedicated on Monday.
These initiatives include two railway projects, one in Mehsana and another in Ahmedabad, that will be inaugurated during the Prime Minister’s visit. In Mehsana, the Western dedicated freight corridor section stretching from New Bhandu to New Sanand, covering 77 km of a second electrified double line alongside 24 km of connecting lines, will be officially inaugurated, as per the release.
In Ahmedabad, the 182-km railway line from Veergam to Samkhiali has been expanded into dual tracks, and this expansion will also be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, it added. Furthermore, the Gujarat Railway Infrastructure Development Corporation is set to launch a railway project spanning 29.65 km between Katosan and Bechraji in Mehsana. This initiative will benefit companies operating within the Mandal-Bechraji Special Investment Zone. The cumulative value of the Railways and GRIDE projects amounts to ₹5,130 crore.
{{/usCountry}}In Ahmedabad, the 182-km railway line from Veergam to Samkhiali has been expanded into dual tracks, and this expansion will also be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, it added. Furthermore, the Gujarat Railway Infrastructure Development Corporation is set to launch a railway project spanning 29.65 km between Katosan and Bechraji in Mehsana. This initiative will benefit companies operating within the Mandal-Bechraji Special Investment Zone. The cumulative value of the Railways and GRIDE projects amounts to ₹5,130 crore.
{{/usCountry}}In Mehsana, the inauguration of two significant projects is also scheduled during PM Modi’s visit. One involves recharging several lakes in the delta region of Vijapur and Mansa talukas, as well as the construction of the Valasana barrage on the Sabarmati River. Additionally, in Mahisagar district, the Panam Reservoir-based Lift Irrigation Project will be concluded, connecting various lakes in Santrampur taluka. The cumulative value of these projects amounts to ₹270 crore.
Three water supply projects are set to begin in Banaskantha, and one project in Mehsana will also be launched on Monday. The launch will include the initiation of works for Palanpur Group Package 1 (Part-A) and Palanpur Group Package 2. Also, the inauguration of an 80 MLD capacity water treatment plant, relying on Dharoi Dam, will take place. In Mehsana, the Dharoi Augmentation Part-II project will be successfully concluded. These four projects, in total, have an investment of ₹210 crore.
The project involving the four-laning of the Naroda-Dahegam-Harsol-Dhansura road project in Sabarkantha, with an estimated value of ₹170 crore, will be launched.
In commemoration of Sardar Patel Jayanti on October 31, the Prime Minister will embark on a visit to the Statue of Unity in Ektanagar. He will honour Sardar Patel by offering his respects at the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Patel. Following this, the Prime Minister will participate in the ‘National Unity Day’ celebration at Ektanagar. He will witness a unity parade by police personnel and administer the National Unity Day pledge to the public.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in the ‘Aarambh’ programme for this year and deliver an address to the officer trainees. This marks the fifth edition of the launch programmme, with the theme for this year being ‘Harnessing the Power of Disruption.’
Additionally, the Prime Minister will inaugurate various development projects and tourism attractions, comprising 5 projects, 3 tourism attractions, and 3 infrastructure projects, as part of the Green Initiative. The Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority (SOUADTGA) is dedicated to fostering the development of Ektanagar while emphasizing the conservation of nature, water, and culture.
The Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority has devised a set of five projects as part of the Green Initiative, focused on the conservation of nature. On the occasion of Sardar Patel Jayanti, Prime Minister Modi will officially initiate and unveil these projects. They include 30 e-buses, a public bike-sharing programme, the distribution of city gas facilitated by Gujarat Gas Limited, as well as the provision of golf carts to streamline transportation for tourists visiting Ektanagar, as per the release. Additionally, a 4 MW solar panel system will be commissioned, it added.
At an estimated cost of ₹100 crore, a visitors’ centre is being erected to serve tourists visiting Ektanagar. This centre is scheduled for inauguration by the Prime Minister on October 31. It will serve as a reception hub, offering tourist information and guidance. Additionally, the centre will house shops, food courts, restaurants, and various rest and entertainment facilities, ensuring essential amenities for tourists.
In addition, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Kamalam Park, which has been built at a cost of ₹7.5 crore. This project has established a nursery for dragon fruit, known as ‘Kamalam’ in India, on the left bank of the Narmada River in Ektanagar. The nursery features a digital orientation centre designed to educate both visitors and farmers about the advantages of cultivating this fruit and the methods involved.
Drawing inspiration from the grand Mahaganga Aarti in Varanasi, the Narmada Aarti is a magnificent ritual performed on the banks of the Narmada River, specifically on a specially constructed ghat adjacent to the Ekta Nursery in Ektanagar. Expanding upon this cherished tradition, the authority is now making the Narmada Aarti accessible to a global audience by live-streaming it daily on a newly created YouTube channel.