Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated 23 development projects worth Rs 307.83 crore at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat to improve tourism facilities and civic infrastructure around the Statue of Unity. He also laid the foundation stones for eight projects worth Rs 118.88 crore, taking the total investment in the 31 projects to Rs 426.71 crore.
Earlier in the day, Modi paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity on his birth anniversary, observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. The projects are aimed at improving facilities around the Statue of Unity, which has developed into a major tourism hub.
New tourist attractions
The major tourist attractions inaugurated by the prime minister include an Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation hotel built for Rs 50 crore, the Ekta Cruise costing Rs 16 crore, a Rain Forest attraction developed for Rs 14.30 crore and an Eco-Trail costing Rs 3.67 crore. The prime minister also launched new visual features, including exterior lighting within the Statue of Unity campus, the Ekta Prakash Parv heritage display and an upgraded Unity Glow Garden.
Civic infrastructure and connectivity
The infrastructure projects include a sewage treatment plant built for Rs 45.53 crore, a water treatment plant worth Rs 21.40 crore, and a parade track and related works costing Rs 23.81 crore. To improve connectivity and convenience, the government has introduced travelators worth Rs 28.22 crore and a 24-metre colony road costing Rs 23 crore to ease traffic congestion. Staff quarters valued at Rs 14.25 crore and two nine-metre-long air-conditioned electric buses have also been introduced. Other facilities include a terminal building and jetty near Mokhadi village, water stations at various locations, an extension of the walkway connecting Ekta Nagar railway station to the Visitor Centre, and fountains at different sites.
The eight upcoming projects
Among the eight upcoming projects are the Gora-Bhanadra Road, estimated to cost Rs 59.32 crore, and a Smart Zero Waste integrated waste management facility costing Rs 36.58 crore. The other proposed projects include the development of the Khalwani Bridge for Rs 7.72 crore, a cactus and butterfly garden costing Rs 5.79 crore, Khalwani Eco-Tourism development worth Rs 5.15 crore, the widening of Vaghadia Road and the construction of a disaster control room for the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The projects are part of the Gujarat government's efforts to develop Ekta Nagar and the Statue of Unity area as a world-class tourist destination through new attractions, improved connectivity and better civic amenities.
