New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi digitally flagged off 8 trains connecting the World’s Tallest Statue to various cities of India. He also inaugurated the newly built railway station at Kevadia. In addition to that, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the Dabhoi-Chandod Broad Gauge railway line, Chandod-Kevadia New Broad Gauge Railway Line, Dabhoi Junction, and the new building of Chandod Railway Station.
Details of 8 trains flagged off by the Prime Minister are as under:
| Sr.
No. |
Train
No. |
From | To | Train Name & frequency |
| 1 | 09103/04 | Kevadiya | Varanasi | Mahamana Express (Weekly) |
| 2 | 02927/28 | Dadar | Kevadiya | Dadar-Kevadiya Express (Daily) |
| 3 | 09247/48 | Ahmedabad | Kevadiya | Janshatabdi Express (Daily) |
| 4 | 09145/46 | Kevadiya | H. Nizamuddin | Nizamuddin – Kevadiya Sampark Kranti Express (Bi-Weekly). |
| 5 | 09105/06 | Kevadiya | Rewa | Kevadiya – Rewa Express (Weekly) |
| 6 | 09119/20 | Chennai | Kevadiya | Chennai – Kevadiya Express (Weekly) |
| 7 | 09107/08 | Pratapnagar | Kevadiya | MEMU train (Daily) |
| 8 | 09109/10 | Kevadiya | Pratapnagar | MEMU train (Daily) |
During his virtual address, the Prime Minister said, “ The Statue of Unity at Kevadia has emerged as one of the finest tourist destinations on the globe thereby opening doors of employment and self-employment for the tribal people. This project is truly in tune with the vision and mission of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ of Sardar Patel. It will connect the culture, heritage and tribal traditions of the region to various parts of India and the world.
While inaugurating these projects, the Prime Minister remembered the days when he visited the banks of Narmada through a narrow gauge train. He said that the trains were so slow in those days that one could actually walk with them. Today, the Indian Railways have been modernised in a way that was never done before. The railway project of Kevadia is one of the finest examples to reiterate the same. The project was completed in a short span of 20 months, despite various challenges in its path. The project will be a game changer for the tribal region of Gujarat.
The project at Kevadia is an effort to keep the unity and solidarity of India intact.
स्टैच्यू ऑफ यूनिटी तक डायरेक्ट रेल कनेक्टिविटी तैयार करने के लिए भारतीय रेल ने जिस बुलंद हौसले का परिचय दिया है, वह प्रशंसनीय है। भारी वर्षा और कोरोना जैसी महामारी भी विकास की इस तेज रफ्तार के आड़े नहीं आ पाई। pic.twitter.com/MZW5ZebEQi
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 17, 2021
Today, Kevadia is one of the best family tourist destinations on the global tourism map. It has something for people of all ages groups. Be it the Jungle Safari and Children’s Nutrition Park for children, Aarogya Van and Poshan Park for the elderly, or the Ekta Cruise, River Rafting and Glow Garden for the youth.
More than 50 lakh people have visited SOU since its inauguration. This is higher than the footfall at Statute of Liberty in the USA. A survey states that as many as 1 lakh people will be able to visit Kevadia through the railway network.
Talking about the development of this region, the Prime Minister stated that the development of tourist facilities in Kevadia will open new doors of employment and self-employment for the tribals. The youth will have various options like becoming a tourist guide, cafe owners, zoo keepers, etc. at their doorstep. The Ekta Mall will empower tribal women by engaging them in handicrafts and historical art. This will also help in showcasing tribal art to the world. 200 houses have been converted into Home-Stays which will further boost employment opportunities. Connecting Kevadia through a railway network will further accelerate this.
Indian Railways, apart from undergoing an unprecedented modernisation and technological innovation, have also ensured to safeguard the ecology. Talking about the dedicated freight corridor, Modi said, “ This project was merely on paper from 2006 to 2014. Today, work for more than 1100 railway tracks has been completed under the same due to a visionary administration and dedicated manpower.”
Railways are constantly trying new means and tools for innovation. India’s first railway university at Vadodara is focused on research, training and innovation in this sector. Youths from 20 states of India are availing the benefits of the institute today. India is one of the few countries on the globe to have a dedicated Railway Institute.
Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani thanked the Prime Minister for enabling these visionary projects to take shape in Gujarat. He said that the Statute of Unity is not just a structure for tourism, but an icon of Unity and a sense of belongingness. The statue will be a constant reminder of Unity in Diversity of India, the freedom struggle, and the consolidation of India post-independence.
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी ने वीडियो कॉन्फ्रेसिंग के माध्यम से विश्व की सबसे ऊंची प्रतिमा #StatueofUnity को देश के विभिन्न हिस्सों से जोड़ने के लिए 8 ट्रेनों के शुभारंभ सहित अनेकों परियोजनाओं का लोकार्पण किया।#StatueOfUnityByRail pic.twitter.com/jpWhrKiz2m
— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) January 17, 2021
Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal said that this moment is historical in the sense that it is connecting the glorious Statue of Unity and the Indian Railways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision has enabled us to connect Kevadia to the entire nation through this rail network.The Jan Shatabdi Express of Ahmedabad has been provided with a “Vista-dome tourist coach” which will provide a panoramic view of the skyline.
Union Minister of Health Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of External Affairs Dr.S. Jaishankar, Chief Minister of U.P Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of M.P Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackrey Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal marked this virtual presence during the event.
Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat, M.P Smt. Geetaben Rathva, Chief Principal Secretary to CM K.Kailashnathan, M.D of Sardar Sarovar Nigam Dr. Rajiv Gupta, General Manger of Western Railways Alok Kansal, officials and residents of Kevadia were present during the event from Gujarat.
