The upcoming “Electric Vehicle City of INDIA– Surat”: PM Narendra Modi

Surat, which has many names such as 'Sonani Murat,' 'Textile City,' 'Diamond City,' and 'Setu City,' will soon have another name -Electric Vehicle City.

Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated several projects comprising over 3400 crores in Surat. The Prime Minister officially opened Phase I of the road infrastructure construction as well as the main entrance to Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City. The Prime Minister also laid the groundwork for the project's Phase II. The Prime Minister laid the groundwork for the Biodiversity Park, which will span 87 hectares from Dr Hedgewar Bridge to Bhimrad-Bamrolli Bridge. The Prime Minister dedicated the Khoj Museum at Surat's Science Centre.

In his address to the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed his delight to inaugurate multiple projects and lay the groundwork for future projects in Surat on the auspicious occasion of Navratri. In a light-hearted tone, he added that while observing the Navratri fast, coming to Surat in the land of such great cuisine is a little intimidating. The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction that the work of 75 Amrit Sarovars is proceeding. Surat is a wonderful example of both people's solidarity and public participation.

The Prime Minister emphasized that Surat is a city that values labour. Shri Modi Ji continued, "There will not be a region of India whose people do not live on the land of Surat- a sort of Mini Hindustan."

Recalling the early decades of this century, when 3 P, i.e. public-private partnership, was discussed around the world, the Prime Minister noted that Surat is an example of 4 P. “4 P means people, public, and private partnership. This model distinguishes Surat " he said. He stated that Surat is now one of the world's fastest-growing cities, a far cry from the days when the city's name was tarnished due to epidemics and floods. He elaborated on the benefits of the biodiversity park in Surat's civic life.

The Prime Minister, highlighting the positive effects of the double-engine government, stated that the construction of houses and other facilities for Surat's poor and middle-class families has increased significantly. The Prime Minister emphasized the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, stating that approximately 40 million poor patients have received free treatment in the country so far.

The Prime Minister noted that Surat's textile and diamond industries support the lives of many families across the country. The Prime Minister also stated that once the DREAM City project is completed, Surat will become one of the world's safest and most convenient diamond trading hubs. The Prime Minister emphasized the city's infrastructure development, saying that the road connectivity from the city to the airport reflects Surat's culture, prosperity, and modernity

Importance of Logistics

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of logistics, saying that the people of Surat understand what it means to any business. In response to the National Logistics Policy, the Prime Minister stated that work on a massive multi-modal connectivity project is currently underway. By reducing the 400 km road distance from 10-12 hours to 3-4 hours via RoPax, the Hazira Ghogha RoPax ferry service saves both time and money. The Prime Minister stated that goods are transported from Surat to Kashi and Eastern Uttar Pradesh and that the railway and coastal departments have now come up with unique innovations to increase the number of shipments.

"Railways has changed the design of its coaches in such a way that cargo can easily fit in it," the Prime Minister explained. "One-ton containers have also been specially designed for this purpose. These containers are simple to load and unload. Following the initial success, an attempt is now being made to operate a new train from Surat to Kashi. This train will transport cargo from Surat to Kashi."

Highlights of Electric Vehicle

The Prime Minister spoke about Surat's transition from 'Sonani Murat,' 'Textile City,' 'Diamond City,' and 'Setu City,' which will soon have another name -Electric Vehicle City.

The Prime Minister emphasized the introduction of electric vehicles in the city and stated that Surat will soon be known for electric vehicles. Shri Modi stated that the central government is currently assisting governments across the country in running electric vehicles, and Surat is a step ahead of other cities in this regard. "Today, 25 charging stations in Surat city were inaugurated, and the foundation stone for the same number of stations was laid. This is a significant step toward establishing 500 charging stations in Surat shortly." Prime Minister said.

In concluding his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized Surat's rapid development over the last two decades. The Prime Minister stated that the pace of development will only pick up in the coming years. "Today, this development is reflected in trust in the dual-engine government. Sabka Prayas accelerates the pace of the nation's development by increasing trust," the Prime Minister added.

Shri Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri C R Patil and Shri Prabhubhai Vasavam, Members of Parliament, Shri C R Patil and Shri Prabhubhai Vasavam, Union Minister of State, Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh and Gujarat Home Minister Shri Harsh Sanghvi were present there.