Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), October 31, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 31 tourism, civic, and infrastructure projects valued at ₹426.71 crore in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar. The developments are part of a targeted push to scale hospitality capacity and elevate the ecosystem surrounding the world’s tallest monument, the Statue of Unity, into an international travel hub.
Of the total financial outlay, 23 completed projects worth ₹307.83 crore were formally inaugurated and dedicated to the public, while the foundation stones were laid for eight upcoming initiatives costing ₹118.88 crore. The launch coincided with Modi’s visit to Ekta Nagar to lead the annual Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) celebrations, marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Major Tourism Additions: IRCTC Hotel, Cruise, and Eco-Tracks
To manage swelling footfalls and address the demand for multi-day tourist stays, the inaugurated phase introduces key leisure and transit facilities:
- Budget Hospitality: A ₹50-crore IRCTC budget hotel designed to provide affordable, family-oriented accommodation for visitors staying overnight at the monument complex.
- Narmada River Cruise: The launch of the ₹16-crore Ekta Cruise, an experiential river cruise on the Narmada River providing panoramic perspectives of the 182-meter statue and the surrounding Shivalik ranges.
- Eco-Tourism Expansions: Inauguration of a new Rain Forest attraction and dedicated Eco Trails alongside curated botanical zones such as the Vaman Vriksha Vatika, promoting sustainable regional exploration.
- Accessibility Enhancements: Installation of high-capacity motorized travelators along extensive visitor walkways to facilitate comfortable movement for senior citizens and disabled travellers.
Civic Infrastructure, Housing, and Security Assets
Beyond visitor attractions, substantial capital expenditure was directed toward municipal utilities, security housing, and transport:
- Civic Utilities: Commissioning of upgraded water supply systems and sewage treatment plants (STPs) to support the urban expansion of Ekta Nagar without polluting the Narmada river basin.
- Security & Staff Facilities: Newly constructed residential barracks for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) tasked with guarding the monument, along with housing quarters for administrative and tourism ground staff.
- Beautification & Transit: Deployment of additional zero-emission electric feeder buses, interactive garden light installations, and soil stabilization along high-level approach bridges utilizing Geocell engineering techniques.
Foundation Stones for Future Phases: ₹118.88 Crore Outlay
The Prime Minister also broke ground on eight future infrastructure works to bolster regional disaster response and long-term sustainability:
- Road Connectivity: The construction of the ₹59.32-crore Gora–Bhanadra Road to streamline inbound vehicular traffic from state highways.
- Sustainable Waste Management: A centralized Smart Zero Waste solid waste management plant to process all municipal and tourist-generated organic and inorganic waste locally.
- Disaster Resilience: A specialized disaster control room designed to coordinate rapid emergency management, real-time surveillance, and crowd management across the Narmada reservoir belt.
The projects consolidate the transformation of Kevadia—once a quiet tribal hamlet—into Ekta Nagar, an integrated tourism district drawing millions of domestic and international visitors each year.
