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Gujarat to build Sindoor Memorial Park near Indo-Pak border: Report

The Gujarat government is reportedly planning to establish a memorial park near the India–Pakistan border in Kutch district to commemorate Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor was launched on 7 May as a military response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, which claimed 26 lives. The planned memorial, named Sindoor Van, will pay tribute to the Indian armed forces and the collective spirit demonstrated by citizens during the operation. Van kavach to span eight hectares of forest land According to a report by The Indian Express, the park will feature a dense forest section, to be known as a van kavach, and is expected to be completed within a year. Citing unnamed officials, the report stated that groundwork for the memorial has already commenced. The van kavach will extend across approximately eight hectares of forest land in Mirzapar, along the Bhuj–Mandvi road. 'In memory of the unity exhibited by society, Army, Air Force, BSF and other forces during Operation Sindoor, the Sindoor Van — a memorial park — is being planned by the forest department,' said Kutch Collector Anand Patel, as quoted by the newspaper. Park to feature murals and tributes to armed forces A section of the park will be dedicated to the victims of the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The memorial will also include themed zones with murals honouring the BSF, Army, Navy and Air Force, according to Sandeep Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kutch Circle. Interestingly, the proposed van kavach site includes the location where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting during his first visit to Gujarat following Operation Sindoor. Speaking on May 26, which also marked 11 years of his premiership, Modi said the military response to Pahalgam reflected India's resilience and values. Reflecting on the strike on terror camps in Pakistan, Modi stated, '...our valiant soldiers achieved a feat unseen by the world in decades. We pinpointed and confirmed the locations of nine major terrorist camps across the border.' He added that Indian forces destroyed the camps 'in just 22 minutes,' forcing Pakistan into a humiliating retreat. Operation Sindoor triggered a series of cross-border strikes and retaliations. Hostilities between India and Pakistan eventually subsided after both sides reached an understanding to cease military action on May 10.