CM Bhupendra Patel: Ekta Nagar Ready for PM Modi on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
Synopsis
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel says Ekta Nagar is ready to host PM Modi for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026, unveiling a 220-metre glass skywalk, Unity and Eco Trail, Shoolpaneshwar Narmada Ghat, and over 1.5 crore LED lights for Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel announced on 29 October 2026 that Ekta Nagar is prepared to receive PM Narendra Modi for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026 .
New additions at the site include a Rainforest zone with a 220-metre glass skywalk , a Unity and Eco Trail , and a Shoolpaneshwar Narmada Ghat .
An Ekta Prakash Parv festival will illuminate the site with over 1.5 crore LED lights .
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed on 31 October every year since 2014 to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary.
The Statue of Unity , at 182 metres the world's tallest statue, was inaugurated by PM Modi on 31 October 2018 .
This year marks Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary , giving the annual observance heightened commemorative significance.
Ekta Nagar, the unity-themed township in Gujarat's Narmada district, is dressed and waiting — for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and for the annual declaration that one nation's idea of itself is still worth celebrating. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced on Thursday, 29 October 2026, that the site is fully prepared to host the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026 observances, unveiling a string of new additions that signal how ambitiously the destination is being expanded.
What's new at the Statue of Unity site
CM Patel's post described an Ekta Nagar transformed: a lush Rainforest zone complete with a 220-metre glass skywalk, a new Unity and Eco Trail, a majestic Shoolpaneshwar Narmada Ghat, and an Ekta Prakash Parv illuminated by over 1.5 crore LED lights. Each addition is designed to deepen the experiential draw of a site already anchored by the world's tallest statue. The ambition is clear: make Ekta Nagar a destination that competes on spectacle as much as on symbolism.
The Statue of Unity — all 182 metres of it — was inaugurated by PM Modi on 31 October 2018, the same date now observed nationally as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. Since then, the surrounding township (formerly known as Kevadia) has steadily grown into a layered tourism ecosystem. The Narmada Ghat addition brings the sacred river directly into the visitor experience, bridging heritage pilgrimage with modern infrastructure.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and the Ek Bharat narrative
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas has been observed every 31 October since 2014, marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, the architect of post-Partition national integration. The day carries the explicit theme of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Excellent India), a phrase CM Patel invoked directly. Ekta Nagar has become the physical centrepiece of that observance: the place where the idea is rendered in steel, stone, light, and water.
The pattern is consistent. Each successive year has brought new attractions, higher footfall targets, and a larger ceremonial presence — with the Prime Minister's visit serving as both political endorsement and national broadcast. This year's PM Modi visit on 31 October 2026 follows that established rhythm, now amplified by the 151st birth anniversary milestone of Sardar Patel — a year that carries extra commemorative weight.
Tourism muscle behind the unity message
Beyond ceremony, the additions represent a real infrastructure push for Gujarat's tourism sector. A glass skywalk, a rainforest zone, a river ghat, and a crore-scale light festival together position Ekta Nagar as a multi-day destination rather than a single-monument stop. The logic: if visitors linger, the unity message lands longer. Attendance figures and any address by PM Modi at the 31 October event will be the immediate measure of how well the build-up has translated.
Under the gaze of the Iron Man of India, the site is lit, ready, and waiting for the nation to arrive.
Point of View
Shreshtha Bharat' brand architecture — each year's upgrades serving simultaneously as tourism policy and political messaging. The 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Patel gives the 2026 edition unusual symbolic weight, and the scale of new infrastructure signals that the state intends to match that moment. For CM Bhupendra Patel, positioning Gujarat as the custodian of national unity remains a core political asset, one that the Prime Minister's personal presence at the site continues to validate. Attendance and audience reach at the 31 October programme will determine whether the investment converts into lasting footfall growth or remains a ceremonial peak.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026 and where will it be celebrated?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026 falls on 31 October 2026 . The central celebration is being held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district, in the presence of PM Narendra Modi .
What new attractions have been added to Ekta Nagar for 2026?
New additions include a Rainforest zone with a 220-metre glass skywalk , a Unity and Eco Trail , a Shoolpaneshwar Narmada Ghat , and an Ekta Prakash Parv light festival featuring over 1.5 crore LED lights .
Why is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrated on 31 October?
31 October is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Deputy Prime Minister and the leader credited with integrating the princely states after Independence. The day has been observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas since 2014 .
How tall is the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar?
The Statue of Unity stands at 182 metres , making it the world's tallest statue. It was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on 31 October 2018 .
What is Ekta Nagar and where is it located?
Ekta Nagar , formerly known as Kevadia, is a township in Narmada district, Gujarat , developed around the Statue of Unity as a national tourism and unity-themed destination.
