PM to virtually inaugurate projects of Somnath temple in Gujarat on Aug 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for four projects, worth Rs 83 crore, of the famous Somnath Temple in Gujarat virtually on August 20, temple authorities said on Monday.

The PM is the chairman of the Shree Somnath Trust (SST) which manages the affairs of the world-famous temple located in Prabhas Patan town in the Gir-Somnath district.

"PM Modi will inaugurate three projects and also perform a virtual ground-breaking ceremony for the Parvati Temple coming up near the main temple for Rs 30 crore," SST trustee cum secretary P K Laheri told reporters.

He said the event will be organised in the Ram Mandir auditorium of the temple on August 20.

"While the PM would inaugurate as well as perform ground-breaking for the four projects virtually, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is a trustee, would also join via video conferencing," Laheri said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other dignitaries would attend the programme at the auditorium.

The three projects to be inaugurated include a one-km long "Samudra Darshan" walkway built at a cost of Rs 49 crore on the seashore behind the temple, a newly-built museum housing ancient artefacts constructed near the temple at Rs 75 lakh, and the renovated "Ahilyabai Holkar Temple" or the old Somnath temple situated opposite to the main temple, he said.

The renovation has been done at Rs 3.5 crore, he added.