PM Modi delighted as Ahmedabad becomes India's first World Heritage city

With Ahmedabad becoming India's first World Heritage city, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his happiness at the major development.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "A matter of immense joy for India!"

The 41st session of UNESCO's world heritage committee being held at Krakow in Poland made the announcement.

The secular co-existence of Islamic, Hindu and Jain communities along with exemplary architecture of wooden havelis got unanimous support.

The walled city has 26 ASI-protected structures, hundreds of 'pols' that capture the essence of community living and numerous sites associated with Mahatma Gandhi who lived here from 1915 to 1930. Now, Ahmedabad will join the world heritage cities like Paris, Cairo and Edinburgh.

Out of total 287 world heritage cities across the globe, there were only two cities in the Indian subcontinent- Bhaktpur in Nepal and Galle in Sri Lanka. The UNESCO tag will add immense value to Ahmedabad city which will also boost tourism.