PM inaugurates, lays foundation stones for Rs284-cr projects at Statue of Unity

Ekta Nagar (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated or laid foundation stones for various projects as well as tourist attractions worth Rs 284 crore during his visit to the iconic Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district. Modi is on a two-day Gujarat visit, his second this week, and will participate in Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations during his stay in the state. The birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) on October 31.

After his arrival at Ekta Nagar, around 200km from Ahmedabad, in the evening, Modi inaugurated several new projects, including a sub-district hospital, smart bus stops, a 4 MW solar project, and two ICU-on-wheels. The PM inaugurated a newly constructed 50-bed sub-district hospital built at a cost of Rs 22 crore. The hospital is equipped with a trauma centre, gynaecological operating theatre, minor operating theatre, CT scan facility, an ICU, labour room, special and physiotherapy wards, medical store, and an ambulance, said a state government release.

Other facilities inaugurated on the occasion included 10 smart bus stops and as many pick-up stands for tourists at Ekta Nagar, push-button pedestrian crossings, car charging points, and a running track for State Reserve Police Force personnel. The PM opened traffic circles constructed at different junctions in Ekta Nagar and nearby areas at a cost of Rs 2.58 crore to improve traffic management and enhance the aesthetics. He also inaugurated a 4 MW solar project, developed at a cost of Rs 23.26 crore, to promote renewable energy. As many as 24 sculptures crafted by renowned sculptors were installed at 24 locations in Ekta Nagar, which has emerged as a popular tourist spot following the construction of the Statue of Unity, an iconic 182 meters tall tribute to Sardar Patel.

Additionally, the Prime Minister opened walkways from Bus Bay to Viewpoint-1 and from Ekta Dwar (Ekta Gate) to Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan (Phase-1). On the occasion, Modi laid foundation stone for a Rs 75-crore sewage treatment plant at Ekta Nagar to manage sewage disposal of around 4,000 homes, government quarters, and other hospitality establishments. In addition, foundation stones for Fire Staff Residential Quarters and the Sardar Sarovar Dam Experience Centre were also laid. The Experience Centre will showcase the mega dam's operations and its transformative impact through six galleries focused on vision, creation, knowledge, influence, progress, and energy.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for a bonsai garden aimed at promoting sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. In view of the 2023 floods in the Narmada river, the protection wall near the Cactus Garden will be extended to strengthen flood defence mechanisms while also creating a riverfront, food stalls, and walkways for visitors, said the release. Since the area planned for a hospitality district in Garudeshwar village in Narmada district got submerged during the floods, the PM also laid foundation stone for a project to raise the land level at a cost of over Rs 60 crore to protect it from future inundation, said the release.