Vadodara: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today announced plans to address a long-standing issue in Vadodara by replacing the Alkapuri railway underpass with an overbridge. The announcement was made during the launch of new development projects organised by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation.

This decision stems from the longstanding demand to replace the underpass that connects Alkapuri to Sayajigunj. Earlier this year, Vadodara MP Dr. Hemang Joshi had demanded the construction of a bridge here, as the underpass needs to be closed to traffic even during moderate rainfall.

The Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation of development works worth ₹616.54 crores at the Vikas Utsav organised by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation. On this occasion, in the presence of Chief Whip Balakrishna Shukla and other leaders, the Barodian got essential infrastructure, including water supply systems, street lighting, housing construction, rainwater and urban drainage systems, roads, bridges, and solid waste management systems. He also launched new vehicles for sanitation and other municipal services.

The Chief Minister remarked that Vadodara is eager for development. Recently, in the presence of the Prime Minister of India and the Prime Minister of Spain, Vadodara demonstrated a new height of progress and solidified its place on the global development map. Vadodara has also been included among ten cities in Gujarat with world-class infrastructure.

He highlighted that, at one time, Gujarat’s annual budget for urban development was merely ₹750 crores. In contrast, this year, the state government allocated ₹21,916 crores for urban development. Reflecting on the past, when municipal corporations considered development works worth ₹5–10 lakh noteworthy, he pointed out that today, projects worth crores are being undertaken daily.

The Chief Minister revealed that ₹68 crores have recently been allocated for the development of outgrowth areas, while the Vadodara Municipal Corporation has set aside ₹756 crores for urban development. He assured that there would be no shortage of funds for Vadodara’s progress.

CM also praised Vadodara’s strides in cleanliness, suggesting that the city has made cleanliness a part of its nature. He encouraged citizens to maintain the tradition of cleanliness and actively contribute to the initiative of a clean Vadodara.

On this occasion, house keys were distributed to beneficiaries under the housing scheme. DeshGujarat