Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his happiness over the ‘Statue of Unity’ finding its place in Time’s “100 Greatest Places 2019” list.
The 597-feet tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat and Mumbai’s Soho House have been featured by the Time magazine in its second annual list of 2019 World’s greatest places, a compilation of 100 new and newly “noteworthy destinations to experience right now”.
The 182-metre statue, touted to be the tallest statue in the world, is a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbahi Patel, independent India’s first home minister as well as deputy Prime Minister. Patel, who was prominently known as the ‘Iron Man of India’, was responsible for the integration of several princely states into modern India.
Excellent news vis-à-vis the ‘Statue of Unity’- it finds a spot in the @TIME 100 greatest places 2019 list.
And, a few days back, a record 34,000 people visited the site in a single day.
Glad that it is emerging as a popular tourist spot!https://t.co/zLSNmwCKyc pic.twitter.com/7xmjWCz9xo
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2019
“The tourist attraction pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who became India’s first deputy Prime Minister in 1947,” the Time said.
Sharing a few pictures, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged people to visit the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat and hoped that those visiting the superstructure will also go to the Statue of Unity.
The prime minister said he is happy to share that the water levels at the Sardar Sarovar Dam have touched a historic 134-meter mark.
“Sharing some pictures of the breathtaking view, with the hope that you will go visit this iconic place and see the Statue of Unity,” he said in a tweet.
News that will make you thrilled!
Happy to share that the water levels at the Sardar Sarovar Dam have reached a historic 134.00 m.
Sharing some pictures of the breathtaking view, with the hope that you will go visit this iconic place and see the ‘Statue of Unity.’ pic.twitter.com/nfH67KcrHR
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2019
“… few days back, a record 34,000 people visited the site in a single day. Glad that it is emerging as a popular tourist spot,” he said in another tweet.
The Statue of Unity was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year at Kevadia in the Narmada district of Gujarat on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
It is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the US and is built on Sadhu Bet, an islet near the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
The statue has been designed by Padma Bhushan-winning sculptor Ram V Sutar and has been built by Larsen and Toubro and the state-run Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. It took about 250 engineers and 3,400 labourers to construct the statue in 33 months.
The Statue of Unity was built at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,989 crore.