Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India embarked on a historic mission to reshape the nation’s infrastructure landscape. The ‘PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan,’ unveiled on India’s 75th Independence Day, signifies an unwavering commitment to building a future where comprehensive infrastructure underpins growth and prosperity. This national master plan, guided by a holistic vision and a seven-engine approach encompasses roads, railways, airports, ports, public transport, waterways, and logistical infrastructure. The overarching objective is to revitalize India’s connectivity, reduce logistics costs, stimulate economic growth, and usher in a brighter future.
In alignment with this national endeavour, the Government of Gujarat has entrusted the Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) a nodal agency responsible for implementing the PM Gati Shakti State Master Plan within the state. In November 2021, a western regional zonal conference was convened at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar followed by a series of five regional workshops held in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar, in collaboration with BISAG-N. These events were instrumental in disseminating critical insights and details of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to district-level officials, catalysing momentum for this transformative initiative.
Develop an Integrated System: Its primary goal is to build a seamless and integrated network that connects multiple types of transportation, such as roads, railroads, airways, and waterways. The online GIS-based system would unify details of infrastructure projects and allow for greater collaboration among many Ministries and Departments. Reducing Logistics Cost: The programme intends to lower logistics costs while also increasing productivity and making logistics more cost-effective. This will bring “Shakti” to the “Make in India” aim and make Indian-made products more competitive globally. Boosting Economic Growth & Infrastructure: The programme entails massive infra¬structure development investments. The Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti National Plan would address the issue of high logistics and supply chain costs, which account for around 12% of India’s GDP, compared to the global average of 8%. On the 6th of October 2022, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, unveiled a momentous development—the National Launch of PM Gati Shakti Gujarat. This launch not only symbolizes progress but also signifies a significant stride toward a brighter future for the state of Gujarat
Infrastructure Asset Mapping: The establishment of 89 dedicated portals for stakeholders across various State Government Departments, coupled with the seamless integration of more than 1,100 data layers from State Departments and an additional 775+ data layers from over 45 Central Ministries and Departments, represents a ground-breaking achievement. Tools and Applications Development: Land identification, Anganwadi mapping application, Know your permission, MSME & Large industries mapping application, Panchayat asset mapping application, Government building mapping application, Maker-Checker-Approval mechanism for data validation and solid waste complaint registration mapping applications are developed. NoCs, Land Acquisition and Land Allotment: In a leading-edge move, various State Government Departments have seamlessly integrated over 46 No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and permissions into PM Gati Shakti Gujarat. This initiative significantly expedites the approval process, eliminating the arduous task of tracking NOCs and permissions. Gujarat stands as the pioneering state, setting a precedent for providing these vital approvals for infrastructure assets through PM Gati Shakti Gujarat. Capacity Building: To ensure the seamless implementation of PM Gati Shakti Gujarat, regular capacity building sessions are being conducted. Till date, over 4,100 government officers across a range of State Government Departments have been trained for using PM Gati Shakti Gujarat. South Coastal Corridor Planning: The 350 km long South Coastal Corridor is part of the proposed 1761 km corridor of the Government of Gujarat from Umargam in the South Gujarat to Narayan Sarovar in the Kachch District. Mobile Connectivity Planning in Tribal Areas: PM Gati Shakti Gujarat played a pivotal role in planning mobile connectivity for previously underserved tribal villages in Dahod District, Gujarat. Using this platform, these villages with no voice and/or data coverage were identified.
Location of existing towers. Areas and population lacking mobile network coverage. Regions with voice mobile network availability but no data connectivity. City Bypass Planning: Ambaji’s religious significance draws a large number of pilgrims annually. To accommodate this influx, a strategic framework for city capacity enhancement was developed through the PM Gati Shakti platform. An Ambaji Bypass project was initiated under PM Gati Shakti, covering 5.3 km and connecting industrial areas, a state highway, and passing through five villages. Planning for EV Charging Stations across the State: Using PM Gati Shakti as a Tool and based on NO-GO and GO Criteria, locations were shortlisted for ensuring highest coverage in urban areas as well as along the state highways and national highways for developing EV charging stations. Comprehensive Infrastructure Mapping: PM Gati Shakti Gujarat facilitates meticulous mapping of diverse infrastructure assets, spanning roads, railways, airports, ports, government logistics infrastructures and more. The mapping of Social Infrastructures like Public Health Centres (PHCs), Hospitals, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Industrial Training Institutes (ITI s), Aanganwaadis and the like helps the departments in identifying infrastructure gaps and planning for providing integrated infrastructures, thus promoting an inclusive approach to development. Respective departments have developed Mobile Applications for mapping of Government Buildings, Panchayat Assets, Urban Assets, MSMEs and large Industries, social infrastructure assets for integration of data and updation of data regularly. Robust Security Framework: In the digital era, data security is paramount. A comprehensive security framework has been established to ensure the confidentiality of information. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are in place to maintain data integrity and protect against breaches. Cutting-Edge Tools for Infrastructure Planning: The PM Gati Shakti Gujarat platform incorporates systematic advanced tools. These tools cover navigation, land identification, site suitability, query builders, and more, empowering departments in their infrastructure planning endeavours. Quality and Accuracy of Data: The PM Gati Shakti Gujarat platform operates dynamically, necessitating regular data updates and validation by respective stakeholders. A data validation mechanism of Maker-Checker-Approver mechanism has been developed to ensure data accuracy and authenticity of data. Mobile Applications for Empowering Departments: Mobile Applications like Know your Permissions, Solid Waste Complaint Registration developed in PM Gati Shakti Gujarat empower the departments in undertaking decision-making and enabling transparency to civic services. Physical Infrastructure Planning : By using PM Gati Shakti Gujarat, departments have undertaken Physical Infrastructure Planning, some of them are South Coastal Corridor Planning, Mobile Connectivity in Tribal Areas, Planning for EV Charging Stations, City Bypass/ Ring Road Planning, thus saving departments’ time and cost. Logistics Planning: As part of implementation of Gujarat Integrated Logistics and Logistics Parks Policy, 2021 for reduction of Logistics Cost, State Integrated Logistics Master Plan, City Logistics Plans for 08 Cities, namely Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Junagadh are being prepared using PM Gati Shakti Gujarat following integrated planning approach. Mapping of private Freight Infrastructures have been initiated for identifying infrastructure gaps and enhancing integrated logistics and transportation infrastructures. Social Infrastructure Planning : Going beyond the physical infrastructure planning, the Social Infrastructure departments have initiated integrated planning for identifying suitable location for Aanganwaadis operating on rental premises to provide better infrastructure facilities and better accessibility for children and pregnant women, identifying suitable locations for Godowns with better connectivity and accessibility, optimum resources planning for ITI s, skill gap analysis for Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) and Statue of Unity, to name a few. Area Development Planning: Area Development Planning have been undertaken by Departments at District/ Taluka/ Village level. This helps in economic development of at District level as well as addressing the challenges at ground level in an effective manner. Planning for Bulk Drug Park at Jambusar, Doubling Cropped Area in Dahod, Flood Disaster Management, Cyclone Disaster Management, Infrastructure Gap analysis for MSMEs and Large Industries, to name a few examples of Area Development Planning using PM Gati Shakti Gujarat. Suitable Location Identification Planning for Aanganwaadi: Under PM Gati Shakti, the planning and implementation of new Aanganwaadis are guided by a set of well-defined GO (desired) criteria. These criteria ensure that the Aanganwaadis are strategically positioned to best serve the needs of the community. Suitable Location Identification Planning for Godowns: The identification of suitable sites for Godown development now adheres to a structured framework of NO-GO and GO criteria. This approach ensures that the selected locations are not only well-connected but also address the issue of low-lying areas. The result is more strategically positioned Godowns that can efficiently serve the purpose of procurement, storage, and distribution, even during adverse weather conditions. Resource Planning for ITIs: The implementation of PM Gati Shakti in Gujarat is making significant strides in the planning and management of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and the allocation of resources, including teachers, students, and equipment, for various trades. This innovative approach empowers the department to have a clear, data-driven understanding of the enrolment and available seats for trainees, the status of manpower and staff availability, and the current inventory and needs for machinery, tools, and equipment for each trade at every ITI.The future roadmap of PM Gati Shakti Gujarat is rich with innovative ideas. It includes quality enhancements, expanded usage, district-centric development, area development planning, socio-economic empowerment, advanced project monitoring, predictive planning, and improved interfaces for citizens and investors. It aims to minimize logistics costs, promote sustainability, and propel India into a future where infrastructure is the cornerstone of progress.