Fri Nov 01 19:40:39 UTC 2024: ## Gujarat Celebrates New Year with Festivities and Hope for Prosperity

**Gandhinagar, October 27, 2023:** Gujarat is celebrating the start of a new year today, marking the beginning of the Gujarati Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar. This joyous occasion, known as “Bestu Varsh,” falls a day after Diwali, which this year is being celebrated for five days, beginning with Dhan Teras and ending with Bhai Beej.

Gujaratis around the world are marking the occasion with traditional customs, including decorating homes with Rangoli art, wearing new clothes, and exchanging greetings of “Happy New Year” and “Saal Mubarak.” Temples are seeing a surge in visitors, with the number of devotees increasing tenfold compared to regular days.

The festive spirit is also reflected in the abundance of Diwali special sweets and snacks being prepared and shared among family and friends. Markets are closed for the Diwali break and will reopen on “Labh Pancham,” the fifth day of the new year, marking an auspicious time for businesses.

The year 2081 in the Gujarati calendar holds high hopes for progress and development in the state. Numerous projects are expected to reach completion or take significant steps forward, including:

* **Infrastructure:** Completion of the Surat Metro Rail Project, Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project (Phase 2), and the Statue of Unity’s Bonsai Garden.
* **Transportation:** Launch of hydrogen-powered buses in Vadodara, expansion of Ro-Pax ferry services, construction of flyovers on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar route, and completion of several highway projects.
* **Railways:** Completion of railway electrification and introduction of express trains on the Ahmedabad-Udaipur route, as well as the operationalization of a hydrogen-powered train in South Gujarat.
* **Urban development:** Completion of Phase 2 of the Ahmedabad Riverfront project, the beginning of the Tapi Riverfront project, and the completion of several stations and bridges on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail project.
* **Other projects:** The Indian Institute of Skills campus near Ahmedabad is expected to be ready, the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is nearing completion, and the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway project is set to conclude.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate the Gujarati New Year in New Delhi, while Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will follow tradition and visit the Panchdev Mandir in Gandhinagar to perform puja. Union Minister Amit Shah will also greet citizens at his residence and inaugurate the Yatri Bhavan at the Kashtabhanjan Hanuman Mandir in Salangpur.

As Gujarat welcomes the new year, it is filled with optimism for a prosperous future, marked by infrastructure development, economic growth, and continued cultural vibrancy.

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