Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: PM opens Rs 400-crore Ekta Nagar projects on Patel anniversary
By Meera IyerGovernance & Policy Editor, Peepals Bharat
File photo: Pradeep717 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, October 31, 2026, PM Modi opened and launched over Rs 400 crore of civic and tourism projects at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
What Happened
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth more than Rs 400 crore at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district on Saturday, October 31, 2026, as the country marked Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, on the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. One report puts the package at 31 tourism and infrastructure projects around the Statue of Unity with a combined outlay of Rs 426.71 crore. The projects include a sewage and water treatment plant, facade lighting, an upgrade of the Narmada Ghat, an IRCTC hotel and new nature trails. The Prime Minister also paid floral tribute at the Statue of Unity, describing Patel as the architect of Akhand Bharat and the Iron Man of the nation.
Key Facts
- Date and place: October 31, 2026, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Narmada district, Gujarat.
- Occasion: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, observed every year on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary; this was the 151st.
- Projects: more than Rs 400 crore in total; one report counts 31 projects worth Rs 426.71 crore.
- Named works: a sewage and water treatment plant, facade lighting, Narmada Ghat upgrade, an IRCTC hotel, and the Rainforest, Unity and Eco trails.
- The Ekta Nagar programme was part of a two-day Gujarat visit from October 30, for which the government listed projects worth about Rs 14,000 crore across the state.
- The day's ceremony was planned to highlight the work of police forces, the Central Armed Police Forces and Central Police Organisations.
Why It Matters
Ekta Nagar, earlier known as Kevadia, is the tourism centre built around the Statue of Unity near the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Saturday's package adds a mix of basic services and visitor attractions to it.
The less visible items may matter most to residents. A sewage and water treatment plant affects public health and the river: Ekta Nagar sits on the Narmada, and growing visitor numbers put pressure on water supply and waste handling. Facade lighting, a ghat upgrade, a hotel and new trails, on the other hand, are aimed at keeping tourists longer, which brings income to local guides, transport operators, shops and homestays in Narmada district.
The occasion itself is also policy in symbolic form. The day is marked with events such as the Run for Unity, held in Delhi on Saturday morning. This year's ceremony was framed around the work of the police and central forces.
For citizens, the practical question is when the new facilities open and what they cost to use. Projects that were inaugurated are expected to open first; those for which foundation stones were laid will take longer, and their timelines will be set by the Gujarat government and the Statue of Unity area's development authority.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Occasion | Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary |
| Projects at Ekta Nagar | Over Rs 400 crore; one report: 31 projects, Rs 426.71 crore |
| Civic works | Sewage and water treatment plant, facade lighting |
| Tourism works | Narmada Ghat upgrade, IRCTC hotel, Rainforest, Unity and Eco trails |
| Wider visit | Projects worth about Rs 14,000 crore across Gujarat, October 30 to 31 |
Impact
Short-term: Visitors to the Statue of Unity area this tourist season may find new trails, lighting and riverfront facilities as inaugurated works open. Bharat Parv, the cultural festival at Ekta Nagar, continues alongside.
Long-term: Better sewage and water treatment should reduce pressure on the Narmada as visitor numbers grow. More accommodation, including the IRCTC hotel, could make Ekta Nagar a multi-day destination rather than a day trip, which would spread tourism income further into the district.
Who is affected: Residents of Narmada district; local businesses that depend on tourism; visitors to the Statue of Unity; and the Gujarat government and local authorities who will run and maintain the new assets.
Key Takeaway
On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, October 31, 2026, Prime Minister Modi opened and launched more than Rs 400 crore of civic and tourism projects at Ekta Nagar, including a water treatment plant, a ghat upgrade, an IRCTC hotel and new trails, while paying tribute to Sardar Patel on his 151st birth anniversary.
Questions and Answers
Why is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrated on October 31?
October 31 is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whom the Prime Minister described on Saturday as the architect of Akhand Bharat and the Iron Man of the nation. The day is observed as National Unity Day; 2026 marks his 151st birth anniversary.
What projects did PM Modi launch at Ekta Nagar on October 31, 2026?
He inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 400 crore, including a sewage and water treatment plant, facade lighting, a Narmada Ghat upgrade, an IRCTC hotel and the Rainforest, Unity and Eco trails. One report puts it at 31 projects worth Rs 426.71 crore.
Where is Ekta Nagar?
Ekta Nagar, earlier called Kevadia, is in Gujarat's Narmada district near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river. It is home to the Statue of Unity, the statue of Sardar Patel.
What else was on the Prime Minister's Gujarat visit?
The two-day visit from October 30 included projects the government said were worth about Rs 14,000 crore across Gujarat, along with the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas ceremony and the Bharat Parv cultural festival at Ekta Nagar.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Meera Iyer, Governance & Policy EditorCovers Governance & Policy and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Meera Iyer
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Meera Iyer is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
