Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on 9 November 2026 credited Union Home Minister Amit Shah with demonstrating how large-scale infrastructure planning can deliver lasting solutions to civic problems, speaking at a public development programme in Ahmedabad attended by Shah himself. The event marked the launch of multiple projects worth more than ₹1,400 crore, timed symbolically around the Diwali festival.

Bopal-Ghuma Waterlogging Project

At the centre of the event was the foundation-stone laying of a stormwater pumping station in the Bopal-Ghuma area, estimated to cost ₹23.95 crore. The project is designed to provide a permanent remedy to waterlogging that inundated several homes in the locality during the previous monsoon, when a single spell of 21 inches of rain caused widespread flooding.

Patel quoted Shah's earlier assurance to residents: that arrangements would be in place to prevent homes from flooding even if the area received 25 inches of rainfall, and that this commitment would be fulfilled before Shah returned to seek votes in 2029. 'Amit Shah has shown what kind of large-scale planning is possible when there is a vision to resolve people's problems,' Patel said at the event.

ISKCON-Sanand Elevated Corridor Inaugurated

Among the headline projects was the inauguration of the ISKCON-Sanand Elevated Corridor — a 4.03-km-long, six-lane flyover connecting ISKCON Junction to Sanand Flyover on the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹464 crore. Patel said residents had long awaited the connection from Karnavati Club Junction towards Sanand, and that the project would ease traffic congestion and simplify daily commutes for lakhs of citizens.

Broader Urban Infrastructure and Social Initiatives

Beyond the flagship projects, the programme covered housing schemes, sewage treatment plants, public gardens, and community libraries being developed across Ahmedabad. The SMILE project — supported by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment — was also launched as part of an effort to make Ahmedabad a 'beggar-free city'.

Patel drew broader political context into his address, praising the Centre's internal security record under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah. He cited the abrogation of Article 370, the introduction of new criminal laws, and ongoing anti-Naxal operations as evidence that national peace underpins development. He also endorsed the government's 'zero-tolerance approach' on drugs, saying Shah had continuously guided states in their anti-narcotics campaigns.

Poverty Reduction Claims and Development Record

Patel invoked a recent World Bank report, claiming that nearly 50 crore people in India had moved out of poverty over the past 12 years, attributing the trend to the Centre's focus on housing, employment, and welfare. He framed the Modi government's urban and rural agenda around four pillars: housing, livelihood, food, and healthcare.

The event was described by Patel as consistent with a tradition initiated by Modi of marking development milestones as occasions for public celebration rather than routine administrative functions. With the 2029 general elections on the horizon, Monday's programme in Ahmedabad — Shah's constituency — signals an intensified effort to demonstrate infrastructure delivery in a key political stronghold.