On Wednesday evening, marking the eve of the commencement day of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the sixth twelvemonth of the Statue of Unity project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects worthy Rs 284 crore astatine the tract connected the Narmada river, rechristened arsenic Ekta Nagar.
In the six years since the inauguration of the 182-metre gangly statue — the tallest successful the satellite — built astatine the outgo of Rs 2989 crore, allied projects worthy astatine slightest Rs 500 crore person been added to the tract successful bid to boost visitant acquisition and adhd infrastructure to the rapidly processing “tourist city”, astir of them inaugurated by PM Modi.
Two walkways of astir 1 kilometre each are portion of the caller projects, connecting the Ekta Dwar (parking area) to Shreshtra Bharat Bhavan arsenic good arsenic from the Bus Bay to View Point-1. The walkways, which are 7.5 metres wide, person 100 benches installed arsenic good arsenic a shadiness equipped with sprinklers considering utmost temperatures during summer.
Compared to a footfall of 4.5 lakh successful 2018 erstwhile it was opened to the public, the tourer footfall recorded successful 2023 was 51 lakh.
Ahead of the Diwali abrogation erstwhile tourer footfalls emergence successful Gujarat, the inauguration volition observe the country’s archetypal lawman premier curate — who led the unification of implicit 500 princely states into the Indian Union.
Among the projects inaugurated connected Wednesday that person been enactment disconnected are the Rajwadu Bhavan, showcasing royal past and the Tribal Museum. Other additions see postulation circles, 10 Smart Bus Stops, a CESL-Car Charging Port, and a 4 MW capableness star task built astatine Rs 23.26 crore.
According to officials of the Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Regulation Authority (SOUADTGA), Ekta Nagar, the astute autobus stops and 10 pick-up stands are portion of Phase 1 of the task aimed astatine “streamlining postulation absorption and enhancing the quality of the city”.
The SOUADTGA said, “Traffic circles person been constructed astatine Ekta Nagar Teen Rasta (Tiraha), Garudeshwar Chowk, successful beforehand of Children Nutrition Park and adjacent Sahakar Bhawan astatine an disbursal of Rs 2.58 crore. For the information of pedestrians, propulsion fastener pedestrian crossings astatine 10 places successful Ekta Nagar, car charging points adjacent Reva Bhawan and moving tracks for Rajya Rakshi Police Force (SRPF) volition besides beryllium inaugurated.”
PM Modi besides inaugurated the 50-bedded sub-district infirmary — the archetypal successful the country — which has been constructed astatine Rs 22 crore and equipped with a trauma centre, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), gynaecology section and labour room, insignificant cognition theatre, among different facilities. The Prime Minister had laid the instauration chromatic for the infirmary successful October past year. Apart from the hospital, helium volition besides inaugurate 2 ICUs connected wheels.
PM Modi besides inaugurated the 50-bedded sub-district infirmary — the archetypal successful the area.
An authoritative said, “Considering the increasing tourer footfall it was indispensable to person aesculapian facilities successful the vicinity. The infirmary volition besides majorly payment section people, who volition nary longer request to question agelong distances to Vadodara oregon Rajpipla for aesculapian treatments.”
In 2019, the Gujarat authorities notified the SOUADTGA for a “secured planned tourism improvement and governance successful and astir Kevadia”, the tract of the Sardar Sarovar Dam connected stream Narmada. Eventually, Kevadia municipality and the railway presumption successful it were renamed “Ektanagar”.
Officials accidental that the improvement of infrastructure and beautification is portion of a phase-wise program to hole Ekta Nagar for the “increased tourer footfall”, which has been the favored task of Prime Minister Modi since the inauguration of the statue.
Modi volition besides laic the instauration chromatic for a Bonsai Garden, a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), and an upcoming Sardar Sarovar Dam Experience Centre, to showcase the full operation of the Narmada dam arsenic good arsenic its pioneering results. “The world-class Bonsai Garden volition beryllium built with the purpose of sustainability, and the instauration chromatic of different projects volition besides beryllium laid. Apart from this, an enlargement of Miyawaki Forest and beautification of the helipad roadworthy is besides among the upcoming projects astatine SoU,” the SOUADTGA said.
The STP is to beryllium built astatine an disbursal of Rs 75 crore to dispose of the sewage h2o generated from astir 4000 houses, authorities residences, and different hospitality businesses. Modi volition besides laic the instauration chromatic of Fire Staff Residential Quarters, the operation of a Satpura Protection Wall, and the improvement of a jetty.
Considering the harm caused by the floods of 2023, the extortion partition adjacent the Cactus Garden volition beryllium expanded successful the upcoming days. “While giving extortion to the cactus garden, tourists tin besides beryllium provided with a riverfront, nutrient stalls and walkway. At the aforesaid time, with the improvement of the jetty, proscription facilities volition besides increase,” the SOUADTGA said.
The SOUADTGA has besides decided to “raise the level of the land” successful Garudeshwar, which is earmarked arsenic a Hospitality District and faces submergence owed to floods from the Narmada River, astatine a outgo of much than Rs 60 crore.
On Thursday, which marks the commencement of the 150th twelvemonth of Sardar Patel’s commencement anniversary, PM Modi volition be the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade and besides code the nation.