Stage set, PM Narendra Modi to unveil 182-metre Statue of Unity today

Modi, who landed in Ahmedabad late Tuesday, is also scheduled to visit the Wall of Unity, built with soil collected from more than 1 lakh villages across the country in 2013-14.

Republic Day-like event planned for unveiling of Statue of Unity

Laser lights tested ahead of unveiling of the statue on October 31. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the country the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya, a tribal village in Gujarat’s Narmada district, on Wednesday morning. Said to be the world’s tallest statue at 182 metres, it is built in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

According to Gujarat government officials, Wednesday’s event has been planned on the scale of the Republic Day celebrations. According to information, Prime Minister Modi and other leaders will pour soil and water of the Narmada into an urn, and Ganesh mantra, Narmada mantra and Swasti vanchan will be chanted during the event.

Follow LIVE | PM Modi to inaugurate Statue of Unity

Modi will do a virtual “abhishek” of the statue with the help of a lever and then address the gathering.

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The event will have flypasts by Air Force planes and patriotic music played by bands of defence and police forces.

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The Statue of Unity will be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Express Photo/Bhupendra Rana)

Modi, who landed in Ahmedabad late Tuesday, is also scheduled to visit the Wall of Unity, built with soil collected from more than 1 lakh villages across the country in 2013-14. The Prime Minister will perform a special prayer at the feet of the Statue of Unity and visit the museum and exhibition, and the viewers’ gallery. The gallery, at 153 metres, can accommodate up to 200 people at a time and offers a spectacular view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, its reservoir, and the Satpura and Vindhya mountain ranges.

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The Statue of Unity Unveils today: A panaromic view of Sadhu Bet in Kevadiya Colony in Narmada where the statue of Sardar Patel stands. The photo was tweeted by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday.

A tent city and the state bhavans are two new features added to the project since its inception —- the bhavans will be built by some state governments, on the Gujarat government’s invitation, with Uttar Pradesh and Nagaland having already accepted the proposal.

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The statue was conceptualised by Modi when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Its foundation was laid in October 2013.

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Governors of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, Vajubhai Vala and Anandiben Patel, respectively, will be present at the event besides Gujarat Governor O P Kohli. BJP national president Amit Shah, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, is expected to reach Vadodara late on Tuesday. Ministers and bureaucrats are already camping in Vadodara to prepare for Wednesday’s event.

PM Narendra Modi arrives in Ahmedabad, Sunday. (Source: Twitter)

At least 140 Gujaratis living in 38 cities across 20 states also arrived to be part of the event, it was informed. They met Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and presented him traditional headgear.

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