PM Modi to Mark WDFC Completion, Unveil Rs 35,000-Crore Infra Projects in Gujarat; Inaugurate Fintech Fest in Mumbai

New Delhi, September 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat and Maharashtra on September 8, where he will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation a series of infrastructure projects and lay foundation stones for several new development works with a combined value of more than Rs 35,000 crore, the Prime Minister's Office said.

The Prime Minister will begin his programme in Vadodara around noon, where he will launch projects covering railway and highway infrastructure, urban development, housing, water supply and renewable energy. He will also address a public gathering.

A key highlight of the Gujarat visit will be the commissioning of three major sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), covering 326 route kilometres and developed at a cost of more than Rs 20,700 crore.

Modi will dedicate the Sanand (North)-Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Saphale and New Saphale-Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) sections to the nation. The commissioning of these stretches will mark the completion of the WDFC across its entire length, strengthening India's dedicated, high-capacity freight transportation network.

The corridor is expected to improve the speed and efficiency of freight movement by providing dedicated infrastructure for goods trains and strengthening links between industrial centres, logistics hubs and ports. Direct rail connectivity to JNPA is also expected to facilitate the movement of export-import cargo, reduce logistics costs and improve multimodal connectivity.

The dedicated corridor is likely to ease pressure on Mumbai's heavily utilised railway network by shifting freight traffic onto the WDFC. Faster cargo movement and shorter transit times are expected to strengthen supply chains and improve the overall logistics ecosystem.

During the Vadodara programme, Modi will flag off freight train services from New Sanand (North), New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New JNPT in Mumbai. He will also flag off a new passenger train service between Vadodara and Tanda Road.

The Prime Minister will dedicate the Jobat-Tanda Road new rail line, developed as part of the Chhota Udepur-Dhar railway project, to the nation. The line will connect remote and tribal areas of Alirajpur with the national railway network, improving access to markets, employment and other economic opportunities.

Modi will also lay the foundation stones for three railway projects covering 329 kilometres at a cost of more than Rs 9,700 crore. These include the third and fourth railway lines between Vadodara and Ratlam, gauge conversion of the Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar section and doubling of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi railway line.

The projects are aimed at expanding passenger and freight capacity, reducing congestion and improving rail connectivity between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. They are also expected to facilitate the movement of industrial and agricultural commodities.

Three National Highway projects costing around Rs 1,780 crore will also be launched. These include six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan section of NH-48, construction of additional structures including major bridges over the Tapi and Narmada rivers on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48, and grade-separated structures at Abhava, Mindhola and Khajod junctions on NH-53.

The Prime Minister will further inaugurate six-lane flyovers at Kandari Chokdi and Luvara Patia. The projects are intended to improve road safety, reduce congestion and address identified black spots along the Vadodara-Surat stretch of NH-48.

The Vadodara programme will also feature Gujarat government projects worth around Rs 2,600 crore. Foundation stones will be laid for Phase II of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road, a 110 MW floating solar power project at Kadana Dam and a new office building for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation.

Modi will also inaugurate housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and a water-supply project covering 11 villages in eastern Vadodara, besides other development works.

After completing his Gujarat engagements, the Prime Minister will travel to Mumbai, where he is scheduled to inaugurate the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 at around 5:45 pm and address the gathering.

The seventh edition of GFF 2026 will be held in Mumbai from September 8 to 11. The international event brings together policymakers, regulators, central banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, technology firms, investors and academics to deliberate on the future of finance.

The theme of this year's event is "Potential to Impact: Agentic AI, Tokenisation, Quantum - Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance."

Discussions at the four-day conference are expected to focus on agentic artificial intelligence, tokenisation, programmable finance and quantum technologies, along with regulation, policy, investment and the development of trusted digital financial systems.

Modi's visit brings together two major components of the government's development agenda — large-scale physical infrastructure expansion and technology-driven financial transformation.

While Gujarat will see a strong focus on railways, highways, freight infrastructure, logistics and urban development, the Mumbai programme will centre on fintech and emerging technologies shaping the future of global finance.