Gandhinagar, March 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on March 31. During this visit, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation for several urban development projects.
This visit comes at a time when the state is experiencing rapid urbanization and infrastructure expansion over the past two decades. It is particularly significant as Gujarat celebrates 20 years since 2005, when then Chief Minister Narendra Modi declared that year as the ‘Urban Year,’ aimed at strengthening urban infrastructure.
The state government has indicated that this journey of urban development is set to culminate by 2025, marking two decades of progress. Gujarat has witnessed remarkable advancements in planned urban development and civic infrastructure. Officials report extensive improvements in roads, street lighting, drinking water pipelines, sewage systems, and urban green spaces across the state’s cities.
Housing has also been made available for economically and socially weaker sections in urban areas. Additionally, several urban planning schemes have been implemented to accelerate urbanization and enhance living conditions.
To maintain this momentum, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s government declared 2025 as the ‘Urban Development Year’ in the last state budget. The transport infrastructure of Gujarat has also seen significant expansion through road, rail, and air connectivity projects.
To manage increasing traffic, overbridges and underbridges are being constructed in major cities like Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, and Surat. The Sudarshan Setu bridge connecting Dwarka and Bet Dwarka has been opened, along with new approach roads and parking facilities, facilitating easier travel between the two locations.
Numerous highway and expressway projects are underway, including the Jamnagar-Bhatinda Highway, Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway, and Porbandar-Dwarka National Highway.
The state government has announced two greenfield corridors to strengthen regional connectivity, including the 430-kilometer ‘Namo Shakti Expressway’ from Disa to Pipavav and the 680-kilometer ‘Somnath-Dwarka Expressway.’
Urban transport has also expanded with metro rail projects. The second phase of the Ahmedabad Metro has recently been completed, improving connectivity between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Additionally, an order for 24 train sets has been placed for the Surat Metro.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is progressing rapidly in Gujarat. Since the launch of the first Vande Bharat train in September 2022, five such trains have become operational.
Under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station’ scheme, 89 railway stations in Gujarat are undergoing redevelopment, with 18 stations already inaugurated.
Airport infrastructure has also been upgraded. The Heerasar Greenfield Airport in Rajkot has been constructed at a cost of ₹1,405 crores, while the Surat International Airport has been established with an investment of ₹3,400 crores.
The ‘Udaan’ scheme has expanded regional connectivity, increasing services at airports in Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Kandla, Keshod, Mundra, and Porbandar.
Several projects have been implemented under the ‘Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation’ (AMRUT) 2.0 to enhance water supply and sewage systems in urban facilities.
My name is Himanshu Tiwari. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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