When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a series of railway infrastructure projects around Ahmedabad on July 16, all eyes were on the Gandhinagar Rajdhani railway station, which was redeveloped with modern facilities and rated as world-class. was billed in. The four other stations that were revamped as part of the electrification and broad-gauge conversion of the 55-km-long Mehsana-Waretha rail line, one for its association with the VVIP politician and one for the legacy of his days as stood outside. ‘Chaiwala’. Vadnagar station is where, the story goes, a young boy named Narendra used to help his father Damodardas Modi sell tea on the stage.
Modi has always worn the identity of a tea seller on his sleeve as a badge of his engagement with the masses. For his ardent fans, PM’s ‘Chaiwala’ past is a symbol of every common Indian’s march towards success against all odds. The old part of the refurbished Vadnagar station retains this legacy.
The old canteen, housed within a wooden and metal structure, has a table top with a small fireplace that in the day ran on coal or wood. It was here that Modi helped his father run a tea shop till the age of eight. There are no photographs or memorabilia linking the prime minister with this place, but it attracts many tourists and visitors. During his visit to Vadnagar station on July 16, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had directed the officials to beautify the canteen. Railway officials say that the canteen will be decorated in a glass structure.
The tea stall was run by Narendra Modi and his father at the station; Photo by Rajwant Rawat
Vadnagar is a city in the Mehsana district of Gujarat and is located about 100 km from Ahmedabad. It has a population of about 150,000 at the 2011 census. For a long time, Vadnagar was cut off from the state’s major rail network, denying its residents the socioeconomic benefits that come with good transport connectivity.
With gauge upgradation and electrification, the station is gaining importance, now it is connected to the Ahmedabad-Jaipur-Delhi railway hub. Railway officials say that this will speed up passenger travel besides economic prosperity in the city and the region as a whole. Agriculture is the main economic activity, with tobacco, groundnut, cotton and castor being the main cash crops. The broad-gauge line is expected to open up opportunities for both farmers and traders and attract industry in the long run.
Apart from Mehsana-Waretha section, Railways has also completed electrification of Surendra Nagar-Pipavav section. This route is important for freight movement between Pipavav port and North India. The star attraction among the projects inaugurated by PM Modi is the Gandhinagar Capital Railway Station, over which stands a 318-room five-star hotel built by The Leela Group. Redeveloped at a cost of Rs 71.5 crore, the station has an interfaith prayer hall, a baby feeding room, a green (eco-friendly) building and extensive fire protection, amongst the facilities.
Vadnagar is Modi’s hometown but none of his family members live here anymore. Modi’s mother Heeraben lives with her brother Pankajbhai in Gandhinagar. The PM’s other brother, Somabhai, lives in Ahmedabad and frequently visits Vadnagar and looks after an old age home here. Modi lived in the Kala Vasudev area of Vadnagar. After the death of the father, the family house was sold to a Thakur family. “At the age of eight, Narendra Modi came in contact with RSS functionaries, especially Laxmanrao Inamdar, who introduced him to the Sangh and made him a child volunteer,” says Upendrabhai Patel, a resident of Vadnagar.
Modi’s primary school in Vadnagar is being renovated and is likely to be converted into a ‘Prerna Kendra’ (inspiration centre), following a visit by Union Culture Ministry officials. The city itself has undergone changes as part of the development of the Vadnagar-Modhera-Patan heritage tourism circuit. A road has been built on the banks of Sharmistha Lake and the Kirti Toran memorial has been renovated. “While we appreciate the beautification of the lake, the opening has been delayed. Also, municipal authorities should heed the PM’s slogan of Swachh Bharat and focus on cleanliness,” says local tour guide Upendra Patel.
primary school where Modi studied till class 6; Photo by Rajwant Rawat
Jitendra Prajapati runs a tea shop at the new clock tower. His claim to fame is that his house was located opposite Modi. “PM’s father helped my father to set up this tea stall. Our city is world famous because of Modiji. He has bestowed it with greatness,” says Prajapati. The mood in Vadnagar is upbeat – courtesy the Prime Minister, a legacy to cherish and a future to look forward to.
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