Ahmedabad, Feb 23: A media tour organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Jammu to Gujarat commenced on Monday with the objective of providing media representatives first-hand exposure to major developmental projects and premier institutions in the state.
Upon arrival in Ahmedabad, the media delegation called on the Director General (DG), PIB Ahmedabad, Prashant Pathrabe. The DG interacted with the visiting journalists and highlighted the importance of such initiatives in strengthening the interface between the government and the media. The media delegation from Jammu is led by Director PIB, Neha Jalali.
Welcoming the media personnel, DG, Pathrabe gave an overview of the demographic and socio-economic profile of the Gujarat. He briefed the media persons about various infrastructural projects that are underway in Gujarat.
Pathrabe mentioned that apart from petrochemicals, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery and other traditional sectors, the state of Gujarat is taking huge strides in the financial services and IT sector. He mentioned various initiatives being taken for creating world-class sports infrastructure, especially in the wake of the upcoming Youth Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Ahemdabad in 2030.
Interacting with the delegation, Director, Neha Jalali highlighted that such media exchange programmes play a vital role in strengthening professional engagement and promoting a deeper understanding of developmental initiatives. She stated that media tours organised by the Press Information Bureau offer firsthand exposure to important projects, thereby facilitating well-informed and credible reporting.
Assistant Director PIB Gujarat, Suman A Machhar and Media & Communication Officer Indravardansingh Jhala and other officials of PIB were also present on the occasion. The media delegation from Jalandar was led by Vikram Singh Media and Communication Officer, PIB Jalandar.
During the first day of the tour, the media delegation also visited the historic Satyagraha Ashram, Kochrab, the first ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1915 after his return from South Africa. The team was briefed about its historical significance in India’s freedom movement and its role in shaping the philosophy of Satyagraha. The delegations were made aware of the restoration initiatives being taken for the ashram and for preserving and honouring the legacy of Gandhiji.
The delegation also toured the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project (Bullet Train Project) site. Officials apprised the media persons of the progress achieved, technological advancements being deployed, and the anticipated impact of the high-speed rail corridor on connectivity, economic growth, and infrastructure development in the region. The team was infomred that the Rail Corridor is a 508-kilometre high-speed rail project designed for a maximum speed of 320 km per hour and will connect 12 stations across Maharashtra, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Gujarat, substantially reducing travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to about two hours. The project incorporates advanced safety systems, including earthquake detection and automatic train control, and involves the construction of elevated tracks, tunnels-including an undersea tunnel section-and major river bridges.
The delegation also visited the Sabarmati High Speed Rail Multimodal Hub being developed by National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). Interacting with the media team, Principal Project Manager, Rajesh Aggarwal informed that the multimodal hub will integrate multiple modes like Indian railways, Metro, BRTS and High speed rail providing seamless connectivity and ease of travel to commuters. He briefed that the Hub will have a 4-level parking accommodating around 1300 vehicles apart from commercial , hotel and offices in one complex and is designed to handle around one lakh commuters daily and a waiting capacity of around 700 persons.
Over the coming days, the media delegation is scheduled to visit several landmark projects and institutions, including the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), National Forensic Sciences University and the iconic Statue of Unity.
The media tour is PIB’s endeavour to build a collaborative relationship with the media and to facilitate wider dissemination of information regarding major government initiatives and achievements.
