Journalism of Courage
Eight years after proposing the ambitious project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday will unveil the Statue of Unity – the world’s tallest statue at 182 metres -built in honour of freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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The world’s tallest statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, stands at about 120-130 metres height on Sadhu Bet in Gujarat — minus the head and shoulders, which will together add up to the final 182-metre (597-feet) plan. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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The ‘182’ number was picked to match the total Assembly constituencies in Gujarat, and will make the Statue of Unity more than double the 93-metre Statue of Liberty, off the coast of New York City. PM Narendra Modi will come for the unveiling on October 31 which is also Sardar Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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From sea level, the height would be 237.35 metres — the 70-metre hillock of Sadhu Bet having been flattened to 55 metres to lay the foundation. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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The work at the five major sites make up the project to a total of Rs 2,989 crore. Apart from the statue itself, these include the walkway, the ticket counter, the food court, the four-lane approach highway, the yard where the parts are being assembled, and the Shrestha Bharat Bhavan (a 52-room three-star lodging facility). (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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Altogether, 4,076 labourers were at work, divided into two shifts. Around a thousand of those were working on the cladding of the statue alone, which was forged in China. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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Three security personnel, two home guards and three State Reserve Police personnel were recently deployed to guard the site, while new checkposts had also come up. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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By 2016, 135 metric tonnes of iron had been collected in various forms, but mostly scrap. After much deliberation on the unusable condition of this scrap, about 109 tonnes was used to make the foundation of the statue after undergoing processing. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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Altogether, the statue is divided into five zones. Up to its shin is the first zone, comprising three levels, including an exhibit floor, mezzanine and roof. It contains a Memorial Garden and a large museum. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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Zone 2 extends up to the statue’s thighs at 149 metres, while Zone 3 goes up to the viewing gallery at 157 metres. Zone 4 and Zone 5 would be out of reach of visitors, with Zone 4 comprising the maintenance area and Zone 5 the head and shoulders. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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In the lobby area at the entrance of the statue, a Museum and Audio Visual Gallery will feature 15-minute presentations on the life of Patel and the tribal culture of Gujarat, to entertain tourists awaiting their turn to go up. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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Besides, along the banks of the Narmada, work was also on to make a ‘valley of flowers’, notwithstanding the rocky terrain. (Express photo by Javed Raja)
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Once the statue opens, plans are also afoot to have an amphibian bus that can run on both land and water from Kevadiya to the statue site, as well as for a jetty service from the dam site to the statue. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)
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