Gandhinagar, May 17 (IANS) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 47 development projects worth Rs 620 crore undertaken by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.
The event was held in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with the projects spanning healthcare, water supply, sewage treatment, roads, gardens, sports infrastructure and urban civic facilities across the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency.
The programme included the inauguration of 21 completed works and the foundation laying for 26 new projects aimed at strengthening urban infrastructure and improving public services.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Amit Shah said the uninterrupted development journey initiated in Gujarat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was being efficiently carried forward by the Bhupendra Patel-led government. “Victory in local self-government elections reflects the people’s trust in development,” he said.
HM Shah said the municipal corporation had undertaken projects including drinking water facilities in areas such as Pethapur, libraries, PHC and CHC centres, and cement roads.
He said the state government and the municipal corporation had jointly focused on sewage water treatment, beautification of lakes, supply of pure Narmada water to households and the establishment of yoga centres.
“Self-confidence and not arrogance is the identity of our government. Gandhinagar is being developed into a modern and convenient city. It is one of the most well-equipped parliamentary constituencies in the country,” he said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the state government was committed to developing pollution-free, garbage-free and slum-free cities with green surroundings alongside basic infrastructure. “Small cities and surrounding areas are being developed as City Economic Regions,” he said.
Patel said HM Amit Shah had adopted a long-term and sustainable development approach for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency with a plan to make it the greenest parliamentary constituency in the country. “Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation has set a target of planting five lakh trees this year,” Patel noted.
Among the major projects inaugurated was a modern sewage treatment plant at Kolvada built at a cost of Rs 16.11 crore. The plant has the capacity to treat three MLD, or nearly 30 lakh litres, of polluted water daily using ISR technology.
Officials said the plant would help address foul smell, pollution and mosquito-related problems in the area while helping revive the Kolvada lake through the release of treated water.
The treatment process includes enzyme dosing in an equalisation chamber, oxygen infusion in aeration chambers to reduce COD and BOD levels, and multi-stage filtration using compressed sand filters, activated carbon tanks and pneumatic filters before chlorinated water is released.
A modern garden developed in Sector-1 at a cost of Rs 10.51 crore was also inaugurated.
Spread across 19,038 square metres, the facility includes walking tracks, yoga spaces, open gym equipment, a children’s play area, seating arrangements, gazebos, CCTV surveillance, toilets, a borewell, an underground water tank and a pump room.
During the inauguration, HM Shah planted a banyan tree and appealed for increasing greenery.
Modern yoga studios developed in Sector-25 and Sargasan at a cost of Rs 2.95 crore were also opened to the public.
The facilities include all-weather indoor yoga halls with specialised flooring, advanced lighting and sound systems, separate changing rooms for men and women, drinking water arrangements, landscaped surroundings and administrative rooms for yoga trainers.
Officials said the centres were expected to benefit more than 2,000 residents and would also be used for wellness workshops and International Yoga Day events.
Urban Health Centres in Sector-21, Sector-22 and Sargasan were inaugurated as part of the healthcare infrastructure projects.
The Sector-22 Urban Health Centre has a built-up area of around 280 square metres and includes facilities such as a laboratory, OPD, consultation rooms, male and female wards, and a minor operation theatre.
Officials said the centres were intended to strengthen primary healthcare, maternal and child health services, vaccination and preventive healthcare facilities for local residents.
Other projects inaugurated included PHC centres at Bhat and Zundal, two new overhead water tanks with drinking water distribution networks at Pethapur, a GMC ward office and shopping centre at Randheja, a community hall at Amiyapur and garden development works in Sector-1.
The municipal corporation also inducted 37 modern civic utility vehicles into service, including backhoe loaders, emergency rescue vehicles, hopper tipper dumpers, mini ultra-high-pressure cleaning machines and water bowsers.
Foundation stones were laid for a 100 MLD sewage treatment plant and terminal pumping station at Jaspur estimated to cost around Rs 135 crore.
Other projects launched included a sports complex, yoga centre and digital library at Pethapur, community halls at Koba and Pethapur, the Gandhinagar bypass road from Rakshashakti flyover to Dholeshwar Mahadev bridge, road development from Koba Circle to Pancheshwar Circle, renovation of the Gayatrinagar garden in Sector-27, beautification of the Sector-25 lake and construction of internal roads in TP areas including Kudasan, Raysan and Sargasan.
CM Bhupendra Patel said development works equivalent to the annual budgets of municipalities in earlier years were now being undertaken in a single day.
Referring to the recently approved Rs 20,000 crore Sarkhej-Dholera semi-high-speed rail line project, he thanked the Centre for approving the proposal.
Mayor Miraben Patel said the municipal corporation was working towards the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” and improving urban infrastructure and quality public services in the capital city.
Minister of State for Urban Development Darshana Vaghela, MLAs Rita Patel and Alpesh Thakor, District Collector Ravindra Khatale, Municipal Commissioner J.N. Vaghela and senior officials of the municipal corporation and district administration attended the programme.
–IANS
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