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Hon'ble CM flags off country’s biggest sports meet ‘Swarnim Khel Mahakumbh

Published By : Admin | November 20, 2010 | 11:39 IST

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated with fanfare the country’s biggest sports meet, aptly named as ‘Swarnim Khel Mahakumbh, being held in the state’s golden jubilee at the Police Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Nearly 16-lakh participants from all the towns and 18,000-odd villages have registered their names for competition in a dozen games. They would be held at different taluka, district and municipal corporation levels, culminating in state-level semi-finals from December 8 to 12, and the finals at the Khokhra-Memco Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on December 13 and 14, 2010. The competition will be held under-16 as well as open categories for boys and girls.

The highlights of the opening ceremony attended by a large number of public were yoga feats by 3,500 students, theme song, myriad dance forms to the drumbeats of percussion instruments from different parts of the country.

Gold medalist from Gujarat at the just concluded Commonwealth Games Lajja Goswami led the torch rally, as Mr. Modi handed over the torch to world chess champion Vishwanath Anand.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Modi expressed his resolve to create a sports culture and sporting spirit in the state, make sports an inseparable part of life among the youth, and to build a talent pool of outstanding sportspersons, through this month-long carnival.

He regretted that a nation of 100-crore people could not win medals worth the mention in international games and sports. Nearly 16-lakh people taking part in a single sports event is in itself a history. Nobody perhaps ever cared to dream on this line. It is also an occasion when the organizers went to the doorsteps of the poor and involve their participation. However, he does not expect wonders from just one sports meet. It is just a beginning to scale new heights, he said.

Earlier, Sports Services and Youth Activities Minister Fakirbhai Vaghela in his welcome address wished the event will build a strong and competitive Gujarat, and its people would earn laurels at national and international meets.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included Ahmedabad’s Guardian Minister Anandiben Patel, Law Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja, Ahmedabad Mayor Asit Vora, MPs and MLAs, Chief Secretary A.K. Joti, Sports Secretary Bhagyesh Jha and Sports Authority of Gujarat Dirctor-General Vikas Sahay.

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PM to visit Uttarakhand and UP on 14 April
April 13, 2026
PM to inaugurate Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor
Corridor to reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over 6 hours to around 2.5 hours
Corridor has been designed with several features aimed at significantly reducing man-animal conflict
Project include a 12 km long wildlife elevated corridor which is one of the longest in Asia
PM to also visit and undertake review of the Wildlife Corridor

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, will visit Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on 14 April 2026. At around 11:15 AM, the Prime Minister will visit Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh to undertake a review of the Wildlife Corridor on the elevated section of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor. At around 11:40 AM, the Prime Minister will perform Darshan and Pooja at Jai Maa Daat Kali Temple near Dehradun. Thereafter, at around 12:30 PM, Prime Minister will inaugurate the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor at a public function in Dehradun and will also address the gathering on the occasion.

The 213 km long six-lane access-controlled Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor has been developed at a cost of over ₹12,000 crore. The corridor traverses through the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and will reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours at present to around two and a half hours.

Implementation of the project also includes the construction of 10 interchanges, three Railway Over Bridges (ROBs), four major bridges and 12 wayside amenities to enable seamless high-speed connectivity. The corridor is equipped with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to provide a safer and more efficient travel experience for commuters.

Keeping in view the ecological sensitivity, rich biodiversity and wildlife in the region, the corridor has been designed with several features aimed at significantly reducing man-animal conflict. To ensure the free movement of wild animals, the project incorporates several dedicated wildlife protection features. These include a 12 km long wildlife elevated corridor, which is one of the longest in Asia. The corridor also includes eight animal passes, two elephant underpasses of 200 metres each, and a 370 metre long tunnel near the Daat Kali temple.

The Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will play a pivotal role in strengthening regional economic growth by enhancing connectivity between major tourism and economic centres as well as opening new avenues for trade and development across the region. The project reflects the vision of the Prime Minister to develop next-generation infrastructure that combines high-speed connectivity with environmental sustainability and improved quality of life for citizens.