Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October 2026 visited the newly developed Rain Forest and Vaman Vriksha Vatika at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district, as part of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The visit followed Modi's floral tribute to Patel at the Statue of Unity and the inauguration and foundation-stone laying of 31 tourism and infrastructure projects worth a combined ₹426.71 crore in the area.

Rain Forest: The Centrepiece Attraction

Spread across 12 acres, the Rain Forest project recreates a tropical rainforest environment with artificial rainfall operating throughout the year. The facility is equipped with 20 rain-gun towers, waterfalls, bubble fountains, and landscaped greenery featuring trees representing different regions of India. Its standout feature is a circular glass skywalk constructed using 132 panels of 35-mm-thick glass, enabling visitors to walk above the forest canopy. The project also incorporates biodiversity education elements, introducing visitors to distinct forest ecosystems. According to the Gujarat government's project list, the Rain Forest was developed at a cost of ₹14.30 crore.

₹426 Crore in Projects Inaugurated and Launched

Modi earlier in the day inaugurated 23 projects worth ₹307.83 crore and laid the foundation stones for eight projects costing ₹118.88 crore. Among the headline inaugurations: an IRCTC hotel built at a cost of ₹50 crore, an Ekta Cruise worth ₹16 crore, and an Eco Trail at ₹3.67 crore. Foundation-stone projects include the Gora-Bhanadra Road, a smart zero-waste integrated solid waste management facility, Khalwani Eco-Tourism, and an integrated Cactus and Butterfly Garden.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Celebrations

Modi was scheduled to participate in the main Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme at around 5:30 pm IST, headlined by the Ekta Parade featuring contingents from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), state police forces, and central police organisations. A theatrical presentation titled 'Naxal Mukt Bharat', organised by the National School of Drama, is set to feature around 2,000 artistes from 126 districts previously affected by Left-Wing Extremism. Cultural performances and tableaux under the theme 'Vande Mataram' will involve around 5,000 artistes from across the country.

Widening the Statue of Unity Tourism Circuit

The Rain Forest, Vaman Vriksha Vatika, and the broader batch of inaugurated projects form part of a deliberate push to expand visitor experiences beyond the Statue of Unity itself, which has drawn significant footfall since its 2018 opening. Notably, this is among the largest single-day infrastructure additions to the Ekta Nagar tourism cluster, signalling the Centre's intent to position the region as a multi-day destination. The investments also align with Gujarat's wider tourism infrastructure drive ahead of increased domestic travel in the coming years.