Vibrant Gujarat to seek investments for tourism

Subject: Geography

Section: Places in news

Context:

The 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) is scheduled to be held from January 10 to 12, 2024, at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.

Details:

For floating villas, Gujarat has identified two dam sites, Kadana and Dharoi, and the island of Beyt Dwarka in the DevBhumi Dwarka district.
Dharoi dam is on Sabarmati river and Kadana dam is on Mahisagar river. Both are hotspots for birdwatchers.
The Glass viewing or observation decks over the Kadana and Dharoi dams are planned on the lines of the Grand Canyon of the USA.

Island of Beyt Dwarka:

Beyt Dwarka or Shankhodhar is an inhabited island at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, situated 2 km (1 mi) off the coast of the town of Okha, Gujarat, India, and 25 km (16 mi) north of the city of Dwarka.
The island’s name “Shankhodhar” derives from the fact that the island is a large source of conch shells.
The island of Beyt Dwarka is currently accessible only through ferry services from Okha on the mainland.
A 2.3 Km Signature bridge is being built over the sea to connect Okha with Beyt Dwarka.

Sabarmati River:

Major west-flowing river in India, originating in Aravalli Range, Udaipur District, Rajasthan.
Travels 371 km in a south-westerly direction, meeting the Gulf of Khambhat of the Arabian Sea.
Spans 48 km in Rajasthan and 323 km in Gujarat.
Course:
- Enters Gujarat, joined by left bank tributary Wakal near Ghonpankhari.
- Joins the right bank tributary Sei River, followed by the left bank tributary Harnav River.
- Flows into Dharoi reservoir, meeting left bank tributary Hathmati River.
- Passes Ahmedabad, joined by left bank tributary Watrak River.
- Finally drains into the Gulf of Khambhat, Arabian Sea.

Mahisagar River:

Located in western India, originating in Madhya Pradesh, flowing through Rajasthan, and reaching Gujarat before entering the Arabian Sea.
Among the few west-flowing rivers in India, alongside the Luni, Sabarmati, Tapi, and Narmada rivers.
Geographical Features:
- Originates near Minda Village in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
- Begins in the western Vindhya Range, south of Sardarpur, flowing northward through Madhya Pradesh, then turning northwest into Rajasthan, and finally southwest through Gujarat.
- Empties into the sea through a wide estuary before Khambhat after a 360-mile (580-km) course.
Impact and Characteristics:
- Silt deposited by the Mahi contributes to the shallowing of the Gulf of Khambhat, impacting the region’s ports.
- Despite its size, the riverbed’s lower elevation compared to land limits its usefulness for irrigation.
Notably crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice.
Known as “Mais” in Ancient Greek.