Vadodara, Somnath gear up for PM Modi’s 2-day visit on May 11
Before the meeting, Sanghavi inspected the designated route for the PM's roadshow – from the helipad arrival point to Hamirji Gohil Circle – as well as the route leading up to the temple premises.
Over Friday and Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi visited both cities, conducting on-ground inspections, reviewing security grids and chairing high-level coordination meetings to oversee arrangements for the Prime Minister’s programmes and roadshows.
WHILE VADODARA city is being draped in Bengal-themed lighting, with LED screens and cultural stages set up for a roadshow, authorities in Somnath are focusing on arranging sprinklers, buttermilk counters and heat-relief measures to manage crowds in the peak summer heat as Gujarat gears up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to both cities on May 11.
Over Friday and Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi visited both cities, conducting on-ground inspections, reviewing security grids and chairing high-level coordination meetings to oversee arrangements for the Prime Minister’s programmes and roadshows. In Somnath, where PM Modi is scheduled to attend the ‘Somnath Amrut Parv’ at the first Jyotirlinga shrine, Sanghavi on Saturday carried out a foot inspection of the proposed roadshow route and reviewed preparations at Sagardarshan.
A review meeting regarding preparations for the PM’s programmes was convened at Sagardarshan, where Sanghavi instructed officials to ensure adequate arrangements such as sprinklers, drinking water, and buttermilk for citizens attending the roadshow and public gathering so that people do not face discomfort due to the heat.
Before the meeting, Sanghavi inspected the designated route for the PM’s roadshow – from the helipad arrival point to Hamirji Gohil Circle – as well as the route leading up to the temple premises.
Senior officials of the Gir-Somnath district administration also confirmed that the Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) will perform its first-ever air show over the Somnath Temple on Monday, as part of the “Somnath Amrutparv-2026” celebrations, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the temple’s reconstruction. The aircraft will showcase formations and stunts including the Tricolor Smoke Trail, colour smoke patterns, loops and rolls, close formation flying and the diamond formation. A replica of the Indian tricolour will also be created in the sky using coloured smoke during the show.
On May 11, PM Modi will travel to Vadodara from Somanth, where he will inaugurate the newly built Sardardham-3 ‘Dushyant and Daksha Patel Complex’ near Waghodia Chowkdi, followed by a roadshow along the Bengal-themed roads leading to the airport.
Spread across nearly 4.75 lakh square feet and built at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore, the Sardarham hostel complex has been developed with modern hostel facilities and advanced training centres for around 2,000 students.
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Harsh Sanghvi also reviewed preparations in Vadodara on Friday evening and held meetings with Sardardham trustees and local officials regarding the event.
Following the inauguration, PM Modi will participate in a nearly 1.5-km roadshow to the airport. BJP leaders said that 15 podiums set up to welcome the PM during the roadshow have drawn inspiration from West Bengal following the party’s recent electoral victory there. The BJP’s city unit president Jayaprakash Soni said Bengali cultural programmes would also be showcased and members of Vadodara’s Bengali community are expected to participate in welcoming the Prime Minister. More than 25,000 people are expected to join the roadshow.
LED screens have been installed from the highway stretch to the airport route, while decorative lighting, barricading and route beautification are underway. The roadshow route has been lined with national flags and illuminated extensively, particularly around Golden Chowkdi.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
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Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
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