Prime Minister Narendra Modi's childhood tea stall near Vadnagar railway station to become tourist spot

New Delhi: A small tea stall near Vadnagar railway station in Gujarat where Prime Minister Narendra Modi sold tea in his childhood is all set to become a tourist spot.

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said,"Inside the Vadnagar railway station, there is a small tea stall, from where our PM had probably started his life's journey. We also want to develop that tea stall as a tourism spot. Our aim is to put Vadnagar on world tourism map."

Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Modi had often mentioned that he used to sell tea during his childhood at the Vadnagar railway station along with his father.

The union minister, however, clarified that although there is a plan to develop Vadnagar railway station as a tourist destination, there is no proposal for giving a facelift to the tea stall. Instead, the original charm of the tea stall will be preserved while giving it a modern touch.

"The ministry of tourism along with the ministry of railways are developing the Vadnagar Railway station as a tourist destination. We have already discussed the plans. As of now there are no plans to give any facelift to the tea stall," Sharma said in a statement.

The stall is located on one of the platforms of the Vadnagar Railway station.

As per the reports, officials of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had visited the town on Sunday. "Apart from being the birthplace of our Prime Minister, Vadnagar is an important historical centre having famous Sharmishta Lake and a step-well. ASI had recently found remains of a Buddhist Monastery during excavation, which is still going on," Sharma said.

Earlier, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Ahmedabad Dinesh Kumar had said the entire project of developing Vadnagar and adjoining places in Mehsana district would cost over Rs. 100 crore.

"The development of Vadnagar railway station is one of the components of the Rs. 100 crore project to develop Vadnagar, Modhera and Patan as tourist destinations. As of now, the Ministry of Tourism has given Rs. eight crore to the state Tourism Department to develop the railway station," Kumar had said. 

(With inputs from PTI)