Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat and Maharashtra on September 8, where he is scheduled to inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore in Vadodara before travelling to Mumbai for the Global Fintech Fest 2026.
The Prime Minister will reach Vadodara around noon and address a public gathering after launching the projects. Later in the day, at around 5:45 pm, he will inaugurate the Global Fintech Fest at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex.
Three Western DFC Sections to Be Dedicated
A major highlight of the Vadodara programme will be the dedication of three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) to the nation.
The three sections — New Sanand (North)-New Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Saphale and New Saphale-New JNPT — cover a combined 326 route kilometres and have been developed at a cost of more than ₹20,700 crore.
Their commissioning will establish direct DFC connectivity towards the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), aimed at facilitating faster movement of export-import cargo between industrial centres and the port. The government says the infrastructure will also help reduce logistics costs and ease congestion on Mumbai's conventional railway network.
DFC Network to Become Fully Operational
With these sections becoming operational, the country's Dedicated Freight Corridor network will be fully operational across its entire length, according to the government.
The dedicated freight network is designed to separate a significant portion of goods traffic from passenger railway routes. The government expects the expanded infrastructure to reduce transit times, improve freight movement and strengthen multimodal logistics connectivity.
Freight Trains to Be Flagged Off
PM Modi will also flag off freight train services from New Sanand (North), New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New JNPT in Mumbai.
In addition, a new passenger train service between Vadodara and Tanda Road will be launched. The service is expected to benefit passengers in Vadodara as well as the Chhota Udepur and Alirajpur districts.
The Prime Minister will also dedicate the Jobat-Tanda Road new rail line, developed as part of the Chhota Udepur-Dhar rail project. The line will connect remote and tribal areas of Alirajpur with the national railway network.
New Railway Projects Worth Over ₹9,700 Crore
The Vadodara programme will also include the foundation stone for three railway projects covering 329 kilometres at an estimated cost of more than ₹9,700 crore.
These include the third and fourth lines between Vadodara and Ratlam, gauge conversion between Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar, and doubling of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi section.
The projects are aimed at increasing passenger and freight capacity, easing congestion and strengthening railway connectivity between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Highway Projects and Gujarat Development Works
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for three National Highway projects worth around ₹1,780 crore.
The projects include six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan stretch of NH-48, additional structures including major bridges over the Tapi and Narmada on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48, and grade-separated structures at Abhava, Mindhola and Khajod junctions on NH-53. Two six-lane flyovers at Kandari Chokdi and Luvara Patia will also be inaugurated.
Several Gujarat government projects worth around ₹2,600 crore are also part of the programme, including the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road Phase II and a 110 MW floating solar project at Kadana Dam.
PM Modi to Travel to Mumbai for GFF 2026
After the Vadodara programme, Modi will travel to Mumbai to inaugurate the Global Fintech Fest 2026. The four-day event will be held from September 8 to 11 and will focus on emerging financial technologies, including Agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum technology.
The September 8 visit therefore combines major railway, freight, highway and state-level infrastructure initiatives in Gujarat with a major international fintech event in Maharashtra.
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