PM inaugurates the Smritivan memorial project

Context

The Prime Minister inaugurated the “Smriti Van” memorial, which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat.

About Smritivan memorial project 

• “Smriti Van” is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch.
• The grand structure, which is the first such memorial in the country, is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town.
• It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj.
• The memorial carries names of the people who lost their lives during the earthquake. 
• It also has a state-of-the-art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum.
• The museum showcases Gujarat’s topography, rebuilding initiatives and success stories after the 2001 earthquake, and informs about different kinds of disasters and future readiness for any type of disaster.
• It also has a block to relive the experience of an earthquake with the help of a 5D simulator and another block for people to pay homage to the lost souls.
• One of the key attractions of this project is a special theatre where visitors can experience an earthquake through vibration and sound effects.
• There are also 50 audio-visual models, a hologram, interactive projection and virtual reality facilities at the museum for visitors.
• Other attractions include 50 check dams, a sun point and pathways with an overall length of eight kilometres, 1.2 km of internal roads, a 1 MW solar plant and parking facility for 3,000 visitors.
• As a tribute to 12,932 people who lost their lives in the earthquake, their names are etched on the walls of the check dams.