Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Gujarat and Daman on Friday for a day-long infrastructure blitz, inaugurating, dedicating and laying foundation stones for development projects worth a combined over Rs 22,655 crore across Surat, Daman and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
This includes the biggest investment of Rs 18,000 crore in Surat, Gujarat.
Surat: Expressway, Highways And Industrial Infrastructure
The centrepiece in Surat is the dedication of Packages VI and VII of the 8-lane Access-Controlled Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway, one of western India's most ambitious road projects, aimed at boosting high-speed transportation, logistics efficiency and economic connectivity between Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the four-laning of critical sections on NH-56, a highway cutting through tribal regions of Gujarat. The upgraded road is expected to significantly improve connectivity for tribal communities while also boosting access to the Statue of Unity on the Narmada river.
On the power side, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Transmission Network Expansion in Gujarat, enhancing power evacuation capacity under the Inter-State Transmission System. He will also inaugurate power distribution upgrades under the Revamped Reforms-Based Distribution Sector Scheme in Valsad district.
Industrial infrastructure gets attention too, with the inauguration of advanced effluent disposal and treatment facilities at Dahej Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region and Sarigam Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation, along with essential layout utilities at the Jambusar Bulk Drug Park — part of the government's push to develop a dedicated pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster.
Rounding off the Surat agenda, Modi will inaugurate a 200-bedded ESIC Hospital offering modern secondary healthcare across key specialties, backed by a central laboratory and round-the-clock emergency and trauma care for occupational injuries and medical emergencies.
Daman: Airport Terminal, Hospital And New Landmarks
Modi will then arrive in Daman, where projects worth roughly Rs 2,970 crore are lined up across healthcare, aviation, tourism, infrastructure and public welfare.
The New Terminal Building of NAMO Airport will be the first dedication of the evening — a facility expected to significantly enhance regional air connectivity and stimulate economic activity in the coastal union territory. This is followed by the dedication of NAMO Hospital, the district hospital of Daman, built to handle nearly 1,500 outpatient visits per day, substantially strengthening access to quality healthcare for residents.
Foundation stones worth Rs 1,630 crore will then be laid for a slate of projects that include an Iconic Bridge, a Daman Convention Centre and a National Institute of Fashion Technology campus — investments aimed at boosting tourism, attracting investment, generating employment and improving quality of life in the union territory.
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Lakshadweep: Year-Round Maritime Access
Closing out his day, the Prime Minister will lay foundation stones for four major port projects worth Rs 885 crore for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep — covering development of port facilities on the eastern and western sides of both Kalpeni Island and Kadmat Island.
The multipurpose jetties being developed will facilitate year-round berthing of large passenger vessels, including cruise ships of up to 300 metres in length. Beyond passenger movement, the projects will provide integrated facilities for fish handling, fuel distribution, ice supply and boat repair — directly supporting the livelihoods of local fishing communities while also laying the groundwork for expanded tourism to the islands.
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