The Statue of Unity is a monument dedicated to Indian independence movement leader Vallabhbhai Patel[2] located in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is located facing the Narmada Dam, 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away on the river island called Sadhu Bet near Rajpipla in Gujarat. The monument along with its surroundings occupies over 20,000 square meters, and is surrounded by a 12 square km artificial lake.[3] It is the world's tallest statue with the height of 182 metres (597 ft).[4] Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), a special purpose vehicle was established by the Government of Gujarat for its construction and the outreach programme was carried out across India starting December 2013.[5]
Initially the total cost of the project was estimated to be about ₹3,001 crore (US$420 million) by the Government of India. Later Larsen & Toubro won the contract in October 2014 for its lowest bid of ₹2,989 crore (US$420 million) for the design, construction and maintenance. The construction was started on 31 October 2013[6][7] and completed in mid-October 2018. It will be inaugurated on 31 October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[8]The monument statue represents Indian National Congress leader and the first Deputy prime minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which is constructed facing the Narmada Dam, 3.2 km away on the river island called Sadhu Bet. The total height of the statue from its base will be 240 metre consisting base level of 58 metres and statue of 182 metres. It is constructed with steel framing, reinforced cement concrete and bronze cladding.[1] The statue needed 75000 cubic metres of concrete, 5700 metric tonne steel structure, 18500 tonne reinforced steel rods, 22500 tonne bronze sheets for construction.[7] In the first phase, a bridge connecting the memorial to the main land, a memorial, visitor centre buildings, a memorial garden, a hotel, a convention centre, an amusement park, research centres and institutes is being constructed.
The Statue of Unity is designed as a naturalistic and historically accurate representation of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, wearing characteristic garments, in a walking stance. Some highlights of this project:Bronze cladding on the Statue.
Fast elevators to reduce transit time for visitors.
The three-level base of the Statue - exhibit floor, mezzanine and roof - will contain a Memorial Garden and a large continuous museum/exhibition hall, comprising exhibits that focus on the life and contributions of Vallabhbhai Patel.
The observation deck, situated at a height of around 500 ft from river bed, will accommodate up to 200 people at a time. It will provide visitors a panoramic view, enabling them to see the beautiful Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges, the 212 km long Sardar Sarovar Reservoir, and the 12 km long Garudeshwar Reservoir. For the comfort of the visitors against high wind forces, a 400-ton Tuned Mass Damper system has been provided above the observation deck.
Access to the Statue via a 5 km boat ride.
A large modern canopied public plaza, overlooking the Narmada River and the Statue, comprising food stalls, ornate gift shops, retail kiosks and other amenities, that will provide visitors a well-rounded tourist experience.[4]
FinanceEdit
The statue was built on a PPP model, with most of the money raised by the Government of Gujarat.[20]
The Government of Gujarat had allotted ₹100 crore for the project in the budget for 2012-13[21] and ₹500 crore in 2014-15.[22] In the 2014-15 Union Budget, ₹2 billion (US$28 million) were allocated for the construction of the statue.
SOURCE : DAILY HUNT
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