NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on Sunday to mark the 649th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday.
According to an official statement, Modi will visit Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar district, where he will participate in a public programme in honour of Sant Guru Ravidas. At around 4:30 pm, the Prime Minister will offer floral tributes to the portrait of Sant Guru Ravidas and the statue of Sant Sarwan Dass, the second Gaddi-Nashin of the Dera.
Thereafter, he will perform Ardas and undertake Parikrama.
“Around 4:45 PM, the Prime Minister will arrive on the dais, and at around 5:00 PM, he will address the gathering on the occasion,” PMO said.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister will visit Adampur airport at around 3:45 pm to unveil its new name as Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Airport, Adampur. He will also inaugurate the terminal building at Halwara Airport in Ludhiana, Punjab.
“On the auspicious occasion of the 649th Birth Anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji, the renaming of Adampur Airport honours the revered saint and social reformer whose teachings of equality, compassion, and human dignity continue to inspire India’s social ethos,” the PMO statement said.
The officials said the terminal building to be inaugurated at Halwara Airport will establish a new gateway for the state, catering to Ludhiana and its surrounding industrial and agricultural hinterland.
Halwara is also home to a strategically important Indian Air Force station.
“The earlier airport at Ludhiana had a relatively small runway, suitable for small-size aircrafts. To improve connectivity and accommodate larger aircrafts, a new civil enclave has been developed at Halwara which has a longer runway capable of handling A320-type aircrafts,” said the statement from PMO.
The terminal building incorporates several energy-efficient features, including LED lighting, insulated roofing, rainwater harvesting systems, sewage and water treatment plants, and the use of recycled water for landscaping. The architectural design reflects Punjab’s rich cultural heritage, the statement added.