Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Gujarat, scheduled to begin on 21 March, has been put off due to the coronavirus scare, it was announced on Friday, 13 March.
Making the announcement about deferment of the PM's visit, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said new dates will be finalised later.
"In view of the current situation which has arisen due to the coronavirus and a recent central government advisory asking states to avoid organising any large gatherings or seminars, Prime Minister Modi's visit to Gujarat on 21 and 22 March has been postponed," he said.
Notably, no positive case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been reported so far in the home state of PM Modi. Patel said the state government is taking all necessary steps to avoid the spread of the virus in view of positive cases reported from neighbouring Maharashtra and some other states.
Earlier, authorities had announced that Modi will be in Gujarat for two days to inaugurate a host of projects.
On 21 March, he was expected to address a large gathering in Vadodara. On the same day, he was scheduled to visit Kevadiya in Narmada district to inaugurate a clutch of new tourist attractions near the Statue of Unity.
On 22 March, the PM was scheduled to inaugurate an 800-bed facility of the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre (UNMICRC), popularly known as UN Mehta Heart Hospital in Ahmedabad.
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