Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) and will offer prayers there on his birthday on September 17, said the Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani on Saturday. The dam is located in Gujarat's Narmada district. According to him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will celebrate his 69th birthday on September 17, has accepted the state government's invitation to attend the `Namami Devi Narmade Mahotsav.' The dam is close to reaching its overflow mark following heavy rainfall in its catchment areas, stated reports on Saturday.

About the festival 

The Mahotsav (festival) is being organised across the state to mark filling up of the Sardar Sarovar Dam to its full capacity. "He (Modi) will visit the Narmada Dam on September 17 and will offer prayers. People of Gujarat are very happy that the dam is close to its full capacity. We are happy that Modi is coming to Gujarat on his birthday," Rupani said. The festival will be celebrated across the state with over 5,000 events. It was further reported that the state government has announced that CM Vijay Rupani will attend the 'Narmada Aarti' near the dam to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 69th birthday. 

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Possibility of overflowing 

According to reports, the water level of the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) in Gujarat's Narmada district has reached a historic high of 138 metres. This is just 68 centimetres short of the overflow mark, revealed reports on Saturday. The rise in water levels has prompted the authorities to issue a high alert to the villages around the dam. The Vadodara district administration is also keeping a close tab on the situation as several villages are on the borders of the river. After PM Modi took over as Prime Minister in 2014, the Sardar Sarovar Dam's height was raised to a maximum height of over 130 metres from 121.92 metres.

(Inputs from PTI)

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