PM may attend Narmada fest on his b'day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Narmada on his birthday on September 17 to celebrate the crossing of 138 m level of water at Sardar Sarovar dam. The water level crossed 137.7 m level on Friday. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced the Maha Aarti at Narmada on Tuesday morning to welcome the water of the river on that day.

The CM has also invited PM Narendra Modi to the Namami Devi Narmadi festival at Narmada, sources said.

According to sources, security agencies have started scrutinising the places the Prime Minister is likely to visit. Sources close to the development shared Chief Minister Rupani and other ministers will visit Narmada Dam to welcome the water once it is filled to its maximum capacity of 138 m.

Rupani also announced that all the district and taluka panchayats, nagarpalika and corporations will welcome the incoming water in major water bodies in their area by conducting aarti on September 17 at 10 am. Narmada water will be welcomed with recitation of shlokas. Celebrations and prayers will be held at over 1,000 places in the state to celebrate river that is the lifeline of Gujarat.

However, there is no official confirmation yet about the PM's visit to Gujarat on his birthday.

Sources shared PM is also likely to seek blessings of his mother in Gandhinagar on his birthday. Mega preparations have been on at Sardar Sarovar for the celebration with tents being set up for the VIPs. Modi had last visited the site on October 31 last year to inaugurate the Statue of Unity.

Several other mega projects in the area are nearing completion and it is on its way to becoming a major tourist attraction. The dam has been built on the Narmada on Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat border. Most parts of Madhya Pradesh are receiving rains for the last couple of days.