Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated & dedicated several Railway Projects worth INR 1,100 crore in Gujarat.
- Inauguration of India’s 1st Re-developed railway station – Gandhinagar Capital Railway Station.
- Gauge converted cum electrified Mahesana – Varetha line & the newly electrified 266 Km Surendranagar – Pipavav section (~ INR 289 crores).
- Inauguration of 3-new attractions at Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad.
- PM Flagged off 2 new trains i.e Gandhinagar Capital – Varanasi Superfast Express and MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) service trains between Gandhinagar Capital and Varetha.
Refurbished Gandhinagar Capital Railway Station
PM Modi inaugurated the newly renovated Gandhinagar Capital railway station. It is India’s 1st redeveloped station in line with Narendra Modi government’s plan to modernise railway stations through Public Private Partnerships.
- It has been redeveloped at a cost of ~INR 71 crore with world-class amenities, at par with modern airports.
- It has been designed in a Divyang friendly manner.
- A newly-built five-star hotel atop the renovated Gandhinagar railway station was also inaugurated.
- The hotel has been built at a cost of ~ INR 800 crore by the Railways, and the Gandhinagar Railway and Urban Development Corporation (GARUD).
Mehsana – Veretha Line & Vadnagar Railway Station
The Mehsana-Veretha meter gauge line has been converted into Electrified broad gauge line at a cost of ~ INR 367 crore (INR 293 Crore for gauge conversion & INR 74 crores electrification).
- The Vadnagar Railway Station, which is part of the Vadnagar – Modhera – Patan heritage circuit has been redesigned by Indian Tourism to give a heritage look.
Attractions at Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad
i.Aquatic Gallery – Spread over an area of 15,000 sq meters will be the largest aquarium in India. It has 68 tanks showcasing 188 marine species including Penguins.
- It has been developed in collaboration with Marine Scape EO-Aquarium, New Zealand.
ii.Robotic Gallery – It is an interactive gallery which showcases the pioneers of robotics technology and will provide a platform for visitors to explore the field of robotics.
iii.Nature Park (INR 13 crores) – It has many beautiful features like fog garden, chess garden, selfie points, sculpture park and open labyrinth (maze).
Recent Related News:
i.On January 17, 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually flagged off 8 trains from various parts of India to the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya, Gujarat to boost connectivity and Tourism.
ii.On March 3, 2021, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Nitin Patelpresented the State Budget 2021-22 with a Budget Outlay of INR 2, 27, 029 Crore.
About Gujarat
Chief Minister – Vijay Rupani
Capital – Gandhinagar
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
About Ministry of Railways
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha – Odisha)
MoS – Danve Raosaheb Dadarao (Jalna, Maharashtra), Darshana Vikram Jardosh (Surat, Gujarat)
