A 22.5-km road section linking Botad, Salangpur, and Barwala is set to undergo expansion into a four-lane road, costing over Rs 124.40 crore, as announced by Botad MLA Umesh Makwana. The upgrade will include a dedicated footpath along the Botad-Salangpur route to enhance pedestrian safety, especially for worshippers heading to the Kashtbhanjan Dev temple in Salangpur.
Large numbers of devotees from Botad city traditionally walk to the Kashtbhanjan Dev temple on Saturdays. Makwana emphasized that the current narrow road has caused frequent traffic congestion and accidents, posing safety risks for both pedestrians and drivers. The decision for road expansion stemmed from concerns raised by Makwana to the Chief Minister regarding devotees’ safety and the necessity for better connectivity to the temple.
Salangpur, housing the popular Kashtbhanjan Dev temple and the BAPS Pramukh Swami memorial, attracts numerous visitors throughout the year. Apart from the four-lane project, a bypass road will be constructed around Salangpur to redirect traffic flow and alleviate congestion near the temple vicinity. Makwana recently addressed the Legislative Assembly, inquiring about the condition of Gram Panchayat buildings in Botad district and the number of new buildings sanctioned in the past two years.
In response, the minister disclosed that five Gram Panchayat buildings in Gadhada taluka were in poor condition, while no issues were reported in Botad, Barwala, or Ranpur talukas. Over the last two years, a total of 68 new Gram Panchayat buildings have been approved, including offices for Talati-cum-Ministers, with costs amounting to approximately Rs 6.14 crore.
