Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate two more tourist attractions – a Maze (labyrinth) Garden and Miyawaki Forest – at Ekta Nagar on the occasion of Sardar Patel Jayanti on October 31, 2022/

PM Modi will pay floral tributes to Sardar Patel at the Statue of Unity, the World’s Tallest Statue, which is a towering tribute to India’s Iron Man.

The attractions will result in a significant increase in the number of tourists visiting Ekta Nagar. The Gujarat government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has been consistently working to develop and promote tourism sector.

The Maze Garden at Kevadia has been built in the shape of ‘Yantra’ that emanates positive energy.

 

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Under the vision and guidance of PM Modi, the Maze Garden has been developed in a short span of just eight months. Sprawling in three acres with a pathway of 2,100 metres, this is the largest maze garden in the country.

The key objective for choosing this design was to bring about a symmetry while focusing on building an intricate network of pathways. Winding through the puzzling roads of this garden will be challenging for the tourists’ mind, body and senses while giving them a sense of triumph over hurdles. This activity will also instil a sense of adventure and help people overcome their fears.

As many as 1,80,000 saplings have been planted near this Maze Garden. These include Orange Gemin, Madhu Kamini, Glory Bovar and Mehndi. This location was originally a dumping site for debris which has now turned into a verdant landscape. The rejuvenation of this barren land has not only beautified the surrounding but also helped establish a vibrant ecosystem where birds, butterflies and honeybees are thriving now.

This garden will attract people cutting across all age groups, especially children who are bound to be filled with bewilderment of the labyrinth.

Proper parking, refreshments and washrooms have been developed for the comfort of tourists.

A special watchtower has also been built in this Maze Garden which will give a beautiful panoramic view of the entire garden that has come up adjacent to the Valley of Flowers. This garden will also generate livelihood for locals who will be roped in for daily maintenance of this garden.

The Miyawaki Forest will be another tourist attraction for people visiting Ekta Nagar.

 

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Using this technique developed by Japanese botanist and ecologist Dr Akira Miyawaki, plant saplings of various species are planted close to each other which develops into a dense urban forest. This method helps save space and the saplings help each other grow. The dense forest also stops sunlight from reaching the ground, thereby stopping the growth of weeds. The saplings need maintenance only for the initial three years.

The growth of plants is ten times faster using this method and as a result the forest developed is thirty times denser. Through Miyawaki method, a forest can be developed in just two to three years while it takes at least 20 to 30 years through the traditional method.

The Miyawaki Forest at Ekta Nagar has been developed across a land area of 2 acres situated besides the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Circuit House near the Ekta Mall. This forest will include the following divisions:

1) Native Floral Garden
2) Timber Garden
3) Fruit Garden
4) Medicinal Garden
5) A Miyawaki section of mixed species
6) Digital Orientation Centre

Basic facilities will be developed for this Miyawaki Forest such as Entry Plaza, Parking, Security Cabin, Outdoor seating, Gazebo, Pathway, Nature Trails besides others. There will also be an informative Sign board explaining the biotic and abiotic elements of environment, information on medicinal plants as well as their economic and intangible benefits. The Forest will have basic tourist facilities and expert guides. It will appeal to the tourists as it has been designed to replicate the original jungles of this region. This initiative is sure to be a fascinating addition to the existing tourist attractions at Ekta Nagar.