The Aryavarth Express
Gandhinagar (Gujarat): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Somnath on January 10 and 11, the Gujarat government has intensified cleanliness and sanitation efforts as part of the ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv 2026’, creating a clean and devotional environment at the historic temple town.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the festival is being organised with special emphasis on cleanliness and civic management. According to an official press release, urban administration officials and sanitation workers are making an invaluable contribution to keeping Somnath and nearby Veraval clean and sacred during the large-scale religious event.
More than 1,000 sanitation workers have been deployed for the task, including over 300 workers from Veraval Municipality and more than 700 workers from Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Bhavnagar and other municipal areas. For the past five days, these teams have been working round the clock to ensure uninterrupted cleanliness across key locations.
The cleanliness drive includes road sweeping, waste collection, removal of excess grass, trimming of trees and roadside foliage, and intensive cleaning of major roads using modern mechanised sweeping machines. Special sanitation teams have also been stationed at accommodation facilities and community kitchens set up for devotees arriving from outside the region. Additionally, more than 40 mobile toilets have been installed at various locations for the convenience of pilgrims.
The Somnath Swabhiman Parv is a major religious festival that draws lakhs of devotees, and officials said the coordinated efforts of sanitation workers and urban administration have helped maintain a clean, orderly and spiritually uplifting atmosphere in Somnath and Veraval.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Modi will arrive in Somnath on the evening of January 10. At around 8 pm, he will participate in Omkar Mantra chanting and later witness a drone show at the Somnath Temple.
On January 11, at around 9:45 am, the Prime Minister will take part in the Shaurya Yatra, a ceremonial procession honouring warriors who sacrificed their lives defending the Somnath Temple. He will then perform Darshan and Pooja at the temple around 10:15 am, followed by participation in a public function marking Somnath Swabhiman Parv at around 11 am.
Later in the day, PM Modi will travel to Rajkot to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference for the Kutch and Saurashtra regions. He will inaugurate the trade show and exhibition at around 1:30 pm and formally open the conference at Marwadi University at around 2 pm, where he will also address the gathering.
From Rajkot, the Prime Minister will proceed to Ahmedabad, where at around 5:15 pm, he will inaugurate the remaining stretch of Phase 2 of the Ahmedabad Metro from Sector 10A to Mahatma Mandir.
On January 12, PM Modi will meet German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad. The two leaders will visit the Sabarmati Ashram at around 9:30 am, followed by their participation in the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront at around 10 am.
