The British left a divided
and wounded India. It was ‘Loh Purush’
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who achieved the impossible while uniting the country
by winning over a disintegrated and scattered group of 565 princely states, ruled by Maharajas and Nawabs,
many of whom wanted to become independent rulers of their kingdoms like in the
pre-British era. Sardar Patel with his insight, wisdom and diplomacy
drove sense into the monarchs who agreed to accede to the Indian Republic. The
Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagarh, who wanted to accede to Pakistan
also finally surrendered. “Saam, Dham, Dhand, Bhed” were effectively used by
Sardar to build a strong and united India.
A short montage on Sardar Vallabhai Patel can be viewed here:
The Statue of Unity is a monument being planned in Gujarat for honoring this
great son of Mother India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust
(SVPRET), a special purpose vehicle has been established under Shri Narendra
Modi’s chairmanship for managing the entire project. The foundation stone of SoU
was laid in Sadhu island on Narmada river on 31st October by the Chief minister
of Gujarat, Narendra Modi in the presence of Shri LK Advani. The construction
will start on January 26, 2014. The first phase is expected to be completed in
42 months.
Watch this video for a short overview of the project
Project details
The iconic statue is
to be built at the Sadhu-Bet Island, approximately 3.5kms south of Sardar
Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in the Narmada district of Gujarat. Surrounded by the
Satpuda and Vindhyachal Ranges, its unique location will prove to be beneficial
for eco-tourism and regional development. The height of the statue will be 182
meters. This is double the height of Statue of Liberty and will be tallest
statue in the world – with Spring temple Buddha, 153 m, a distant second. With
a base of 58m, the total height of the statue will be 240 meters. It will be
constructed using steel framing, reinforced cement concrete and bronze coating.
The statue and
surrounding area will be accessed by special boats (3.5 kms) to avoid vehicular
traffic and pollution. There are also plans to improve connectivity to the spot
through construction of expressways, metro rail and helipads. The base of the
Statue will have three levels - exhibit floor, mezzanine and roof which will
house the memorial garden and a large continuous exhibit hall that will be
developed as a visitor attraction focusing on the contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel.
A heavy-load open
lift with a panoramic view will be built alongside the Statue of Unity.
Visitors will be able to rise up to the height of the structure’s head, walk
into a viewing gallery and enjoy a panoramic view of the Sardar Sarovar Nigam
project and the surrounding region from an astounding height of close to 400ft.
The plan is to install the world’s fastest elevators to add a zing to the tour.
Refreshment areas and recreational spots including an underwater aquarium will
be built to make the project area an attractive tourist spot, thus facilitating
tourism and employment for the surrounding tribal region. A research center
dedicated to good governance, agriculture development, water management and tribal
development will be developed.
The cost of the entire project is estimated to be Rs 2,063 crore and
apart from funds provided by the State Government, money would also be raised
through Public & Private donations. Govt of Gujarat has earmarked Rs 100
crores in the latest budget.
Tendering for the first phase of the project is in progress. This
phase will involve construction of the main statue, a bridge connecting the
statue to the river bank, visitor center & memorial garden, reconstruction
of the 12-km road along the bank and admin block cum hotel.
Statue of Unity movement
To connect people emotionally with the project a lot of activities are being conducted
nationwide under the Statue of Unity Movement. Run for Unity, Loha Abhiyan,
Write for Unity and photo collage of elected local body representatives are
some of the innovative tempo building activities being conducted.
Run for Unity
In Loha Abhiyan, the
iron needed for this project is being sought from farmers of villages all across
India in a form of token donation of their used farming instruments. 6 Lakh
Indian farmers are expected to donate over 5000 metric tonnes of iron.
Loha Abhiyan
Economic & developmental benefits
Besides being a symbol of India’s Unity, the Statue of Unity will be a
world class monument which will put Gujarat on the priority list for every
tourist in the world. World’s tallest statue is expected to be a big draw for
visitors within and outside the country. Currently, the most popular tourist
destination in India is the Taj Mahal, which gets around 30 – 40 lakh visitors
every year. One can expect that Statue of Unity will get at least the same
level of visitors as Taj Mahal, if not more. The most visited monument in the
world today is Eiffel tower, which gets at least 70-80 lakh visitors every
year. The visitor capacity planning has
been done to ensure parity with world’s most visited monuments like Statue of
Liberty, Washington monument and Eiffel tower.
Tourism sector is known for its multiplier effect on GDP and job
creation. As per World Economic Forum’s report, every million rupee investment
in tourism creates 78 jobs vs. 45 in manufacturing sector with the same
investment. GDP is generated through direct sources such as hotels, airlines /
trains, local transport, travel services, restaurants and leisure industries
which directly interact with the tourists. Capital investment for building tourism
infrastructure by government and private
companies, purchase of goods and services by the directly impacted industries –
such as steel and cement for construction are examples of indirect impacts of
tourism industry on GDP. In addition, arrival of foreign tourists will help
generate valuable forex reserves for the country.
Since the project is based in tribal dominated Narmada district, it’ll
bring welcome relief and tremendous employment for the local tribal youth. The
government is planning to setup educational and research facilities in the
project area, which will focus on the areas of clean energy, ethnic crafts,
agriculture, animal husbandry, pisciculture and biotechnology. The focus areas
have been carefully chosen, so as to maximize benefits to the local community
and economy. Improved connectivity to the remote area will improve life quality
for local citizens. As the project plan also envisages setting up of five star
hotels in the area, we can expect corporates to utilize the serene spot for
holding conferences and annual meets. This will add yet another revenue stream
for locals.
In conclusion, this project is truly a magical amalgamation of the
emotions, hopes and aspirations of our country.
References
2. Govt of India,
Tourism Ministry website
3. The cover picture is sourced from www.ibtimes.com
4. World Economic forum reports on travel & tourism
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