Vadodara, Sep 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received an enthusiastic welcome from a large gathering of young people in Vadodara on Tuesday as thousands turned up for the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ programme, held to mark the launch, inauguration and dedication of major development projects across Gujarat.
Modi arrived in Vadodara as part of his visit to Gujarat and Maharashtra, with the Vadodara leg of his programme focused on infrastructure and development initiatives with a combined value of more than Rs 35,000 crore.
During the programme, the Prime Minister is scheduled to lay foundation stones for several projects and inaugurate and dedicate a series of rail, road, urban development and renewable energy initiatives. The projects are aimed at strengthening connectivity, improving logistics infrastructure, expanding urban facilities and supporting economic activity in the region.
A major highlight of the programme is the dedication of three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), covering 326 route kilometres and developed at a cost of more than Rs 20,700 crore.
The three sections are Sanand (North)-Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Saphale and New Saphale-Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA). Their commissioning marks the completion of the WDFC along its entire length, providing a dedicated freight link between industrial centres and one of the country’s major ports.
The corridor is expected to facilitate faster movement of export-import cargo to and from JNPA, while reducing transit time and logistics costs. It is also expected to ease pressure on Mumbai’s existing railway network by shifting a significant volume of freight traffic onto the dedicated corridor.
As part of the programme, Modi will flag off freight train services from New Sanand (North), New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New JNPT in Mumbai.
The Prime Minister will also flag off a new passenger train service between Vadodara and Tanda Road. The service is expected to benefit residents of Vadodara as well as neighbouring Chhota Udepur and Alirajpur districts by improving passenger connectivity.
Another important railway initiative is the dedication of the Jobat-Tanda Road new railway line, developed under the Chhota Udepur-Dhar railway project. The line will connect remote and tribal areas of Alirajpur with the wider national railway network, improving access to transport and opening up opportunities for greater economic and social integration.
Foundation stones will also be laid for three railway projects covering 329 km and involving an investment of more than Rs 9,700 crore.
These projects include the construction of third and fourth railway lines between Vadodara and Ratlam, gauge conversion of the Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar section and doubling of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi railway section. The projects are expected to enhance rail capacity and improve operational efficiency across the network.
Road infrastructure is another major component of the development package. Foundation stones will be laid for three National Highway projects involving around Rs 1,780 crore.
The proposed works include six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan stretch of NH-48, construction of additional structures, including major bridges over the Tapi and Narmada rivers on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48, and grade-separated structures at Abhava, Mindhola and Khajod junctions on NH-53.
Two six-lane flyovers at Kandari Chokdi and Luvara Patia will also be inaugurated as part of efforts to improve traffic movement and road connectivity.
Several state government projects worth around Rs 2,600 crore are also included in the programme. These comprise Phase II of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road, a 110 MW floating solar project at Kadana Dam and a new office building for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation.
Housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and a water-supply project covering 11 villages in eastern Vadodara are also scheduled to be inaugurated.
The programme has generated considerable public interest, with free registration opened through BookMyShow ahead of Modi’s visit. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation coordinated registrations through the digital platform.
Organisers said all available seats were booked within an hour, while more than 42,000 additional applicants were placed on a waiting list, highlighting the strong public response to the event.
To manage entry and crowd movement, organisers have adopted a digital registration and verification system. Registered participants have been issued M-Tickets containing secure, live QR codes, which will be scanned for verification before entry.
The digital system is being used for registration, verification, venue entry and seating arrangements to streamline the movement of thousands of participants.
Following his Vadodara programme, Modi is scheduled to travel to Mumbai, where he will inaugurate the Global Fintech Fest 2026 in the evening, continuing his visit with a focus on India’s infrastructure, technology and economic development agenda.
