New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat and Maharashtra on September 8, where he is scheduled to launch, inaugurate and dedicate development projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore in Vadodara before inaugurating the Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai.
A major highlight of the Gujarat visit will be the commissioning of three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), covering 326 route kilometres and involving an investment of more than ₹20,700 crore.
The projects are expected to strengthen freight connectivity between industrial centres and ports, improve EXIM cargo movement and help reduce logistics costs. With these sections becoming operational, the Dedicated Freight Corridor network will be fully operational along its entire planned length.
Key Rail Projects
The Prime Minister will also dedicate the Jobat-Tanda Road new rail line, developed under the Chhota Udepur-Dhar project. The line will provide rail connectivity to remote and tribal areas of Alirajpur.
Three more railway projects, covering 329 km and estimated to cost more than ₹9,700 crore, will receive foundation stones.
The projects include:
- Vadodara-Ratlam third and fourth railway lines
- Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar gauge conversion
- Vishwamitri-Dabhoi doubling project
These works are aimed at increasing passenger and freight handling capacity while easing congestion and improving rail connectivity between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Highway Projects Worth ₹1,780 Crore
The visit will also see the launch of three National Highway projects with a combined cost of around ₹1,780 crore.
These include six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan stretch of NH-48, additional structures including major bridges on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48, and grade-separated structures at key junctions on NH-53.
Two six-lane flyovers at Kandari Chokdi and Luvara Patia will also be inaugurated to improve road safety and address identified accident-prone locations.
Gujarat Projects Include Floating Solar Plant
Gujarat government projects worth around ₹2,600 crore will also be launched or inaugurated.
Among the projects receiving foundation stones are:
- Phase II of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road
- A 110 MW floating solar project at Kadana Dam
- A new Vadodara Municipal Corporation office building
Housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and a water supply project covering 11 villages in eastern Vadodara are also among the projects to be inaugurated.
Freight Services to Be Flagged Off
As part of the freight corridor commissioning, new freight train services will be flagged off from New Sanand (North), New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New JNPT.
A new passenger train between Vadodara and Tanda Road will also be flagged off, benefiting communities across Vadodara, Chhota Udepur and Alirajpur.
PM Modi to Open Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai
Later in the day, Modi will inaugurate the seventh edition of the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai.
The four-day event is being held from September 8 to 11 at the Jio World Centre and Trident BKC. Its 2026 theme is “Potential to Impact: Agentic AI, Tokenisation, Quantum – Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance.”
The conference will bring together policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, technology companies, startups and investors to examine how emerging technologies can reshape financial systems.
Emerging Technologies in Focus
GFF 2026 will focus particularly on three technologies:
- Agentic AI: Autonomous and intelligent financial workflows, risk monitoring and fraud prevention
- Tokenisation: Programmable and transferable digital representations of assets
- Quantum: New approaches to computation, optimisation and security, including quantum-safe cryptography
The broader agenda also covers digital transformation, cybersecurity, risk and compliance, climate finance and rural financial inclusion.
The event is expected to build on India’s experience in digital payments and financial inclusion while examining how emerging technologies can translate into wider economic and social impact.
