Nation

Gujarat: PM Modi Inaugurates Pedestrian-Only ‘Atal Bridge’ On Sabarmati River In Ahmedabad

August 27, 2022
Bharat Times

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the pedestrian-only ‘Atal Bridge’ on Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad in Gujarat on Saturday. PM Modi is on a two-day visit to the state that will culminate on Sunday.

According to a release issued by the Gujarat government earlier, “On the first day of his visit, Modi will address a gathering at the ‘Khadi Utsav’ programme to be held on Sabarmati Riverfront here in the evening. From the same venue, the PM will inaugurate the foot over bridge, built by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.”

As per the release, the ‘Atal Bridge’ with an eye-catching design and LED lighting, is around 300 meters long and 14 meters wide in the middle and it connects the flower garden on the western-end of the riverfront with the upcoming arts and culture centre on the eastern-end.

Apart from pedestrians, cyclists can also use the bridge to cross the Sabarmati river without the hassle of traffic. The bridge will also allow people to view the riverfront from the middle of the waterbody.

The release further mentioned that this bridge is designed in such a way that the people can approach it from both lower and upper walkways or promenades of the riverfront.

The Atal Bridge has been built using 2,600 metric tonnes of steel pipes while the roof is made up of colourful fabric, and the railing has been constructed with glass and stainless steel, the release added.

The Prime Minister, along with CM Bhupendra Patel, also attended the ‘Khadi Utsav’ event in the city.

Speaking at the event, PM Modi, as quoted by news agency ANI, said, “On the occasion of 75 years of independence, 7,500 sisters & daughters created history by spinning yarn on Charkha. Spinning Charkha took me back to my childhood days.”

“We’ve seen that Khadi became the force of the freedom movement and broke the chains of slavery. The same Khadi can become an inspiration to make India developed and self-reliant,” PM Modi said, adding, “Khadi was made the symbol of the country’s self-respect by Gandhiji during the freedom movement. But, the same Khadi was seen with inferior feelings after Independence. Because of such thinking, Khadi and rural industries related to Kahdi were ruined.”