Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened a new IRCTC hotel near Ekta Nagar railway station in Gujarat on 31 October 2026, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. DD News and DeshGujarat report that the hotel has 127 rooms across four room types on about two acres. It has a restaurant, a cafeteria, a banquet hall, conference rooms and a swimming pool. The hotel was one of 31 projects worth over ₹426 crore that the Prime Minister launched around the Statue of Unity, according to NDTV. Other new attractions include the ₹16 crore Ekta Cruise, a rainforest and an eco trail.
IRCTC is the Indian Railways unit that runs catering, ticketing and tourism services. Reports differ on the hotel’s cost, as DD News and DeshGujarat put it at ₹52.50 crore while NDTV reports ₹50 crore. The Statue of Unity has drawn more than 3 crore visitors so far, according to DD News. A hotel next to the station targets families and groups who arrive by train and often leave the same day. DD News also says the banquet and conference rooms could bring corporate meetings and social events to the area.
Our view is that IRCTC is testing whether it can run destination hotels, not only rail catering and tour packages. Private hotels and tent camps around Ekta Nagar lose some pricing power in the budget and mid-market segments, while local transport and food sellers gain from longer stays. Coverage has not reported room rates or occupancy targets, which will decide whether the hotel undercuts private operators. Ekta Nagar has added attractions and transport links in phases since the statue opened in 2018, and each phase has aimed to turn day trips into overnight stays. We expect IRCTC to sell rail and stay packages for this hotel within three months, and to announce at least one more hotel near a major tourist site within a year. Confidence: medium.
This is important for our readers because a 127-room hotel backed by a state company now competes for Statue of Unity visitors. If you run a hotel or camp in Ekta Nagar, check your rates against the new property this week. If you sell Gujarat tour packages, ask IRCTC about group and rail plus stay rates. If you supply food or linen, contact IRCTC about vendor registration.
Sources:
NDTV, 31 Oct 2026
DD News, 29 Oct 2026
DeshGujarat, 29 Oct 2026
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