Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated Smriti Van memorial, which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
Mr. Modi said Smriti Van is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch.
The grand structure, which is the first such memorial in the country according to a Gujarat government official, is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town.
It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj.
The memorial carries names of the people who lost their lives during the earthquake. It also has a state-of-the-art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum.
PM Modi, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit, on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the project, spread across 170 acres on the hill.
After the inauguration, Mr. Modi, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, took a stroll inside the museum premises where officials and tour guides informed him about its various aspects.
Notably, it was PM Modi who came up with the idea of setting up such a memorial when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, officials earlier said.
The museum showcases Gujarat's topography, rebuilding initiatives and success stories after the 2001 earthquake, and informs about different kinds of disasters and future readiness for any type of disaster.
It also has a block to relive the experience of an earthquake with the help of a 5D simulator and another block for people to pay homage to the lost souls.
Many people from Kutch district, especially from Bhuj, were among those killed in the earthquake, which had its epicentre near Chobari village of Bhachau taluka, about 20 km from Bhuj town.
One of the key attractions of this project is a special theatre where visitors can experience an earthquake through vibration and sound effects.
The museum, having eight blocks and spread across 11,500 square meters, will showcase the Harappan civilisation of this region, scientific information regarding earthquakes, Gujarat's culture, science behind cyclones and Kutch's success story after the earthquake, a government release said.
There are also 50 audio-visual models, a hologram, interactive projection and virtual reality facilities at the museum for visitors.
Bhujio Hill was a military base for former rulers of the Kutch region. It has a 300-year-old fort, which was also repaired and restored under this project.
Nearly three lakh trees were also planted on the hill using the Miyawaki method, the release said.
Other attractions include 50 check dams, a sun point and pathways with an overall length of eight kilometres, 1.2 km of internal roads, a 1 MW solar plant and parking facility for 3,000 visitors, it said.
As a tribute to 12,932 people who lost their lives in the earthquake, their names area etched on the walls of the check dams.
Mr. Modi on Sunday held a roadshow in Bhuj town of Kutch district on the second day of his visit to the State where the Assembly elections are due later this year.
Thousands of people from Bhuj and surrounding areas gathered on both sides of the road to greet PM Modi, who waved at them during the three kilometres long roadshow, held between Hill Garden circle and District Industries Centre in Bhuj town.
Earlier, the PM arrived at the Bhuj airport in the morning. Mr. Modi is in Bhuj to inaugurate a host of projects, including a memorial dedicated to earthquake victims, another memorial dedicated to children who died in the 2001 earthquake and a milk processing plant of Sarhad Dairy.
The enthusiastic crowd on both sides of the road kept shouting "Modi Modi" and waved the tricolour to express their affection for the PM. PM Modi reciprocated by waving at them while standing in his car.
At one point, Mr. Modi even got out of the car and walked for a while to greet the people. The local administration had erected stages along the route for cultural and folk performances.
