Ahmedabad, Sep 7: A nine-member media delegation from Arunachal Pradesh began its seven-day press tour of Gujarat on Monday, visiting key institutions and projects showcasing the State’s development in governance, urban planning, heritage and transport infrastructure.
The tour commenced at the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Ahmedabad, where the delegation was welcomed by Additional Director General Siddhartha Bodke. Interacting with the visiting journalists, Bodke briefed them on PIB’s role in disseminating information on government policies, programmes and initiatives and encouraged the media team to make the most of the field visits and expert interactions lined up during the tour.
The delegation next visited Kochrab Ashram, Mahatma Gandhi's first ashram established after returning from South Africa in 1915, where the journalists interacted with Dr Prasana Gandhi, who briefed them on the historical and cultural significance of the Ashram and its association with the Father of the Nation, his philosophy and India’s freedom movement.
The journalists also undertook a cruise on the Sabarmati River, observing the riverfront development and the surrounding urban landscape. The visit provided an opportunity to understand Ahmedabad’s riverfront transformation and its integration with the city’s urban development.
At Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University, the delegation interacted with President Barjor Mehta and senior faculty members on architecture, urban planning, education and research. The interaction also covered the institution’s contribution to shaping urban environments through education and research.
The first day concluded with a visit to the Sabarmati Multimodal Transport Hub, where the delegation was briefed on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project.
The interaction covered the scale and technical complexity of India’s first high-speed rail corridor, including engineering, planning, inter-agency coordination and on-ground execution.
During the visit, Joint Director, PIB Itanagar, Utsav Parmar, also called on Principal Chief Project Manager Rajesh Agarwal.
The seven-day press tour will take the Arunachal media delegation to several key sites and institutions across Gujarat, covering infrastructure, industry, technology, education, heritage and culture.
The tour is aimed at providing the journalists with direct field exposure to major development initiatives and projects shaping Gujarat, enabling them to gain a broader understanding of the State’s development experience and its relevance to the diverse development landscape of the country.