Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the 'Trail of United India', a 2.62-km forest eco-trail at Ekta Nagar, on 31 October 2026 — Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, observed annually to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The trail, developed in Limdi village by the Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority (SoUADTGA), is designed to weave together India's wildlife, cultural heritage, and spiritual traditions into a single nature-based experience.

What the Trail Offers

The eco-trail is divided into five thematic zones covering wildlife and nature, youth, women's empowerment, heritage, and spirituality. Each zone features themed exhibits and artistic sculptures that showcase India's natural wealth, social progress, and diverse cultural traditions. Set amid green forest surroundings, the trail gives visitors an immersive opportunity to engage with biodiversity and environmental conservation.

Infrastructure developed along the route includes an entrance plaza, parking area, ticket booth, information centre, multi-purpose gazebo, bio-toilets, drinking water points, a bamboo watchtower, directional and informational signboards, stone seating areas, and trail maps — amenities designed to make the forest route accessible to a wide range of visitors.

A New Layer for Statue of Unity Tourism

The trail adds to a rapidly expanding tourism ecosystem around the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, which has recorded more than three crore visitors since its inauguration. The SoUADTGA has been steadily developing additional attractions in the Ekta Nagar area as visitor numbers continue to climb. By encouraging tourists to spend more time in the region — extending from the Statue of Unity to the Sardar Sarovar area — the project is intended to deepen the economic footprint of tourism in the zone.

Walking tours and trekking will form the primary visitor activities, supplemented by wildlife observation and structured environmental learning programmes.

Economic and Social Objectives

Beyond tourism, the project is expected to support local employment and livelihoods by expanding tourism-related activities around Ekta Nagar. Officials say the trail's emphasis on ecological learning and the 'Unity in Diversity' theme aligns it with broader government goals of promoting responsible, nature-based tourism across India. This comes amid a wider push to develop the Ekta Nagar precinct into a multi-day tourism destination rather than a single-attraction stopover.

Inauguration on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

The choice of 31 October — Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — for the inauguration is deliberate: it underscores the trail's central theme of national unity and its location near the memorial to India's Iron Man. The event follows a pattern of successive Ekta Diwas ceremonies at Ekta Nagar being used to unveil significant additions to the Statue of Unity complex. With the inauguration days away, the trail is poised to become one of the more distinctive ecotourism offerings in Gujarat.