Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several development projects worth Rs 3,400 crore in Surat on September 29 during his two-day visit to Gujarat beginning September 29. Among the projects are the Rs 370 crore Dream City project, a Rs 139 crore biodiversity party, and a science museum.
Municipal corporation officials, police officers, and district administration officials have been monitoring preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit at Nilgiri ground in Surat’s Limbayat area. It is the same location where Modi spoke at public meetings during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The ground falls in the Lok Sabha constituency of BJP MP and state BJP president CR Paatil and the assembly seat of BJP MLA Sangita Patil, that has populations of migrants, majority from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The ground with an area of over one lakh square metres can accommodate over 1.50 lakh people. A helipad facility has also been set up at the venue as the PM will land at Surat airport from where he will reach the venue by helicopter. Sources said that over 80,000 food packets have been arranged to be distributed among the audience. Several LED screens will be set up at different locations. Over 500 buses will pick up and drop people from their locations to the venue.
According to sources, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will spend Rs 12 crore to prepare the venue. A state government release said that the projects to be inaugurated by Modi include development works of water supply worth Rs 672 crore, drainage projects worth Rs 890 crore, Dream City project worth Rs 370 crore and biodiversity park worth Rs 139 crore, alongwith other public development projects.
The PM will virtually inaugurate Phase 1 work of Dream (Diamond Research and Mercantile) City project worth Rs 103.40 crore and virtually lay the foundation stone of phase 2 work.
The biodiversity park, which will be built on 87.50 hectares of land on the banks of Kakra Creek in the Bhimrad Bamroli area, will include a bicycle track, a 13-kilometer walking track, and over six lakh plants and trees.
The Khoj Museum (Science + Art + Innovation) that will be virtually inaugurated by the PM at Science Centre in Surat for children will have interactive displays, inquiry-based activities and inquisitiveness-based explorations.